Over the years I have always taken the position that Taxes should not be raised by more than the cost of living. Governments at every level need to look at areas of waste and inefficiencies and do every thing than can to be more efficient, before they increase the burden on the average taxpayer.
In this day and age communities are in competition to attract new people especially rural communities, the mines have hired a lot of people who have had the option to live here or in the Elk Valley, one of the important factors that plays in to that decision is Taxes, the cost of living in their chosen community.
The District of Sparwood has been tracking the cost of Taxes and Utilities between themselves and the surrounding communities. They used a typical, similar 1200 square foot home from each community.
Crowsnest Pass Taxes $2,352.04 Utilities $712 .44 for a total of $3,064.48
Fernie Taxes $2529.30 Utilities $ $539.79 for a Total of $3,069.09
Elkford Taxes $2063.73 Utilities $375.00 for a Total of $2,438.73
Sparwood Taxes $1,657.95 Utilities $663.60 for a Total of $2,321.55
That puts the Crowsnest Pass at a disadvantage versus Sparwood and Elkford, with our Taxes and Utilities being a full 32% higher than Sparwood and 26% higher than Elkford.
We as a community must be prudent financially to lessen this gap, we need to give people reasons to come here, not to choose elsewhere.
Every candidate in this coming election should be asked their position on raising Taxes, and anybody that as previously sat on council should be asked how they voted when there was tax increases much higher than the cost of living on the table.
4 comments:
Dean,
Could the taxes be lower for residential in Sparwood and Elkford because they get tax money from the mines?
Of course your are right, but I am just attempting to show what we have to compete with has a community when trying to attract people here. Also the importance of doing everything possible to become more efficient.
For example in the last budget administration attempted to create three new positions in the workforce. The majority of council disagreed with those positions which would have cost us approximatly an extra $200,000 per year, or 3% of our tax base.
As as weekender, it's time for me and my family to leave the Crowsnest Pass. It's a shame the current council could not stay out of trouble, and run the municipality into the ground. There is no attraction to keep families/weekenders here any more. All the shop windows are covered with brown paper, the choice of good quality restaurants is poor, the local grocery stores charge an arm and a leg for basics. I have been a good neighbor and weekender, but sadly it's time to pack up and search for greener pastures.
Taxes are higher here in large measure due to the past policies of Mayor John Irwin and his lackey school teacher councils. They both sucked the marrow out of this community leaving us nothing but the bone to chew on.
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