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Editorial: Flin Flon needs fairer taxation model

As a concerned taxpayer, I am writing this article to outline some of my concerns about the need for a fair and just tax system. We have always paid utilities four times a year for water and garbage at the cost of $279.24, which equals $1,116.

As a concerned taxpayer, I am writing this article to outline some of my concerns about the need for a fair and just tax system.

We have always paid utilities four times a year for water and garbage at the cost of $279.24, which equals $1,116.96 for the year. This is the same for all residents of Flin Flon.

In years past, many residents were paying a large amount to fund protective services (police and fire protection), and some were paying very little. That’s because the funding model was based on assessed value of one’s property.

It was the decision of city council to divide the cost of these services evenly over 2,290 properties. We all enjoy the benefit of fire and police protection, and I hate to think where we would be without it, and we are now all equal partners in paying for these services, which come to a total of $616.31 per homeowner per year.

This amount is charged against all properties in our city once a year, as you will see on your recent 2016 property tax bill. This is a fair and just method of taxation.

Utility debenture is, as defined by the dictionary, an acknowledgment of a debt. Any time capital projects are being undertaken, getting debentures in place to finance the project usually is a number one priority.

The repaying of debentures usually is spread over a period of time of 20 to 25 years, and the cost of the debenture is usually spread over all parties being served. In our community we have 2,290 residential properties, so one would think that these costs would be equally distributed over all individuals receiving benefits.

Do you feel that this is a just method of paying back the debenture?

To pay for construction of the water treatment plant, some property owners pay as little as $97 a year for 20 years, which would be a total of $1,940. Other properties of higher value will be charged $667.31 a year over 20 years, which would be a total of $13,346.20 for the same service.

When it comes to a privilege of a drink of water, taking a shower and flushing the toilet, don’t you feel that the cost should be equal to all properties, as it is for water plant operations, garbage collection and protective services?

As a taxpayer, please check your property tax bill from our city. Look for Utility Debenture L.I.D. and look in the “tax owing” column. Take that number and multiply it by 20, and that is what you will be paying toward the utility debenture, which is payable once a year through annual taxes.

I have looked at numerous tax bills ranging from $97 to $126, $442 and $485, and have also heard other numbers as well. If council had the right and power to choose this path in the beginning, I think they should have the right and power to distribute the costs evenly over all individuals receiving benefits.

I am very concerned with the direction in which our community is going. Is it our fault as taxpayers not showing up at the polls and making the right choices, or is it the lack of direction and guidance by mayor and councillors of city administration? If this is the case, I think one should be attending more council meetings and talking to our mayor and council and government representatives such as our MLA.

Three years ago, there were figures released by city council that out of 2,290 properties here, 624 paid 50 per cent of the taxes. A total of 769 residents paid less than $1,000 in taxes, and 23 per cent paid less than $300.

I think this may help some individuals understand why we are seeing such large increases on our tax bills.

G. Bruce Reid is a Flin Flon resident.

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