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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1979-11-07, Page 10 (2)Pose 10 Tithes -Advocate, November 7, 1979 By JACK RIDDELL MPP Huron -Middlesex Elaborating further on my article of last week, I have become more and more concerned about the new tax equalization factors following my study of the assessment of other Mem- bers. These figures are being used as a yard stick by the Ontario Government for its proposed implementation of the new tax equalization factors for municipal pur- poses. It is my opinion that this is not going to ac- complish equality among municipalities. If we consider in- dustrialized urban areas with high density populations, we find that in those cities and townships, employment is usually available for people who are willing to work. Yet it is municipalities such as these that will benefit from the equalization factors because their tax assessment will be lowered. However, in low income rural areas where these is virtually no industry and many people encounter a very marginal subsistence, the levies are going to be raised. In many cases the increase is going to be very substantial. These municipalities are barely in a position to pay their present tax assessment, far less be able to raise funds to pay the higher taxation that will be imposed on them by the equalization factors. It . appears that the Government has oased its assessment for rural areas on land sales in recent years. The land as we all know has escalated to unrealistic costs. Unfortunately. the government has failed to take into consideration that much of this land. has been purchased by the more af- fluent people, many of whom prefer to live in the country even though they work in the larger centres and others who are non-resident land owners. It is acknowledged that appreciation of farm values over the period from 1970 to 1978 has been largely responsible from the dramatic shifts proposed for 1980. Unfortunately, such weighting is' totally unrelated to the numbers of people available to share the tax load or the ability of rural municipalities to bear such levies. In many Townships the local municipality spends a small percentage of the tax dollar with the balance going elsewhere and being sub- jected to the new factoring. School taxes amount to a relatively high percentage of the tax bill at present. It seems grossly unfair that residents of these rural townships should have to pay a much greater level of taxation for education than residents on properties of similar values in the large urban centres. Many townships have been active in developing policies to preserve farmland in Ontario. The use of current farm values, often unrelated to the productiviety of the land, for factoring seems to be counter productive to policies for farmland preservation. Tlie pfesence of towns and other large hamlets in some townships has softened the blow relative to some of the ;JnnnmmnnnnnnnnnnInunnrn ADAMS • Heating & Cooling _• Heating Systems of All Types INSTALLED. MODERNIZED and MAINTAINED • General Sheet Metal Work '• Air Conditioning • Humidifiers • Ventilation • 235-2187 E 133 Huron St . East. Exetertt other townships. This being the case, it almost seems that municipalities should be encouraging residential and industrial development to help pay the taxes. Certainly, the province cannot have it" both ways. Rural municipalities cannot be expected to pay the price for preserving farmland and then have those farm values used to increase their levies The Government has stated that there will be a phasing in program of the new equalization factors and that municipalities will More about equalization factors receive government grants during this period. However, only the year 1980 has been mentioned for the program. We have not been advised as to what is going to happen to overburdened small municipalities lacking sur ficient population to raise taxes when this phasing in period comes to an end. Furthermore, how can the Ontario Government justify reducing the tax burden for affluent cities and townships by shifting the onus to small, poor municipalities. It is clear that the ki,040 Government has failed to introduce a fair and equitable assessment program. For the past ten years it has shown great indecision on this particular issue and it has spent millions upon millions on a project which can only ac- complish a grave disruption to the economy of rural municipalities. It seems strange that the impact studies of tax reform in Toronto would deter the government from acting but the impact on rural municipalities of half measures such as those being proposed have not been fully considered. We in the Liberal Party do not support a phasing in of the factors but urge that the government review the entire question of property taxes with a view to bringing in a complete package of tax reform which would address itself to the weighting of farm values and the ability of people to pay. especially for services such as education. We believe that the government should and must find alternative ways of collecting taxes other than through property taxation. The cost of purchasing a home, land and building materials have increased to such an extent over the last 10 years that the average citizen does not have the funds to buy a home. Those who are homeowners are finding it beyond their means to pay the high government and education taxes which nave peen forced upon them. All of this coupled with red tape is making life more or less a 111111410110 Jack's Jottings financial nightmare for the average Canadian. In summary while I agree that every man is equally entitled to protection under the law instituted by government, 1 disagree when government grants priveleges and gratuities to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful. Itis then I believe, that it is the right of the humble members of society to complain of the injustice being meted out to them by that government. Sao Luc the 7-14 ade. 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