I read with interest the Records report that City Council (despite opposition from Councilor McIntosh) plans to increase taxes by about 2.9% in the coming year. This increase is *SIX TIMES* the rate of inflation in the lower mainland in 2012,which increased at only 0.5% for all of 2012.
To add insult to injury, last week the Mayors Council of Vancouver, of which Wayne Wright is Vice-Chair, proposed a further increase in the retail sales tax of up to 0.5% to fund more transit projects. That is another 50 cents on every $100 dollars we spend on virtually everything, anywhere in the region, 365 days per year.
New West taxpayers already pay among the highest property tax rates anywhere in the Vancouver area. When is enough enough? Why are our citizens constantly asked to bear an ever-heavier burden of taxes to our local governments?
Canadian families today spend about 42 cents of every dollar of all their income on taxes to every government. That is more money that all the money we spend on food, clothing and shelter combined.
Your newspaper explained that a significant portion of the property tax increase will be to fund "reserves" for Anvil Centre that development gamble on Columbia Street that the City Council decided to make with our tax money. You reported that Councilor Puchmayr defended that, by explaining that it will "offset expected tax increases from the operations of Anvil Centre" in future. In other words, Mr. Puchmayr says that the tax money is better in the Citys bank account, than with the taxpayers who are funding it.
I disagree. I am happy to pay taxes for worthwhile services, but only when they are needed and realistic. For now, taxpayers are stretched in every direction. I respectfully ask that City Council reconsider this unjustified new burden on our citizens, and come up with taxes that are more in keeping with todays reality.
Yours truly,
Martin Eady, CA
New Westminster
