[constance_chlore]

Knack has come out and said he already supports tax increases with no mention of controlling the budget. I am not saying anything controversial here, Knack is not the business candidate. I would imagine many of his voters don't want him to be either.

It's short-sighted, albeit in a way that's so commonplace that it can escape notice, to think only of the taxes without considering the value to businesses (and everyone else) of the services paid for with those taxes.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Knack has come out and said he already supports tax increases with no mention of controlling the budget. I am not saying anything controversial here, Knack is not the business candidate. I would imagine many of his voters don't want him to be either.

You mean property tax increases? That's kind of a business issue in that it's an expense everyone pays, but even with a decrease of the tax rate, taxes would still increase based on assessment values. Excepting Downtown, maybe.

Every politician at every level for the past century has promised lower taxes, knowing full well they wouldn't deliver.

 

[TAS]

You mean property tax increases? That's kind of a business issue in that it's an expense everyone pays, but even with a decrease of the tax rate, taxes would still increase based on assessment values. Excepting Downtown, maybe.

Every politician at every level for the past century has promised lower taxes, knowing full well they wouldn't deliver.

I heard that almost a third of our property tax bill goes to province in the way of education taxes that are collected by the city and that this education tax rate has increased significantly but people don't probably recognize that.

I was wondering, for the muncipal taxes collected on business properties, is that soley municipal or do businesses have to pay education tax, too?

 

[kcantor]

Knack has come out and said he already supports tax increases with no mention of controlling the budget. I am not saying anything controversial here, Knack is not the business candidate. I would imagine many of his voters don't want him to be either.

I don't think that's completely accurate... I believe what Knack has said is that many of the increases that will be in the city's budget going forward are already "baked in". This would apply to everything from the police budgeting formula to neighbourhood renewal to replenishing the "rainy day fund" that is already severely depleted to a myriad of capital projects (not just LRT and rec centres) to union agreements. Anyone that says those can be "rolled back" is deluding themselves and the electorate and anyone says that they can be rolled back while increasing service provisions for everything from policing to snow removal has even less credibility.

For the record, I have yet to decide who I will be voting for in the mayoral race so this isn't a partisan post. I am decided on where my ward vote is likely to be cast but not my school board vote.

 

[policyenthusiast]

I heard that almost a third of our property tax bill goes to province in the way of education taxes that are collected by the city and that this education tax rate has increased significantly but people don't probably recognize that.

I was wondering, for the muncipal taxes collected on business properties, is that soley municipal or do businesses have to pay education tax, too?

They do. The only properties not paying the "education" tax are those that are exempt for other reasons, like nonprofits and seniors lodges.

 

[TAS]

They do. The only properties not paying the "education" tax are those that are exempt for other reasons, like nonprofits and seniors lodges.

Thanks. And a correction to my post above - it's 25% of municipal tax bill went to provincial education taxes this past cycle. So if you have a $4,000 city tax bill, $3,000 actually goes to city for services/operations/capital projects and $1,000 goes to province (and of course we also pay provincial taxes in addition to this from our income). UCP has already stated education portion will be increasing next year.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Thanks. And a correction to my post above - it's 25% of municipal tax bill went to provincial education taxes this past cycle. So if you have a $4,000 city tax bill, $3,000 actually goes to city for services/operations/capital projects and $1,000 goes to province (and of course we also pay provincial taxes in addition to this from our income). UCP has already stated education portion will be increasing next year.

Unsurprising. The GoA is blowing their own horn about "lowering income taxes" in the province, but the savings are immediately offset by this years' provincial tax increases. Nothing changed, the Province just started making municipalities collect a larger share of their taxes.

 

[Gronk!]

I voted today. I had to show my driver's license at least 3 times before I finally received my ballots (one for the mayor, one for city council and one for the public school board), otherwise it was a painless endeavor.

 

[johnnyboy]

I can also remember many parties making contributions to more than one individual in a campaign - and often for every individual campaigning that wasn't an outright wing nut

Richard Lam doesn't seem to even draw the line at outright wing nut.

It's not even pocket change I'm sure, and this is only one example, but the lack of any discernment by much of "the business community" in supporting candidates is disheartening to say the least.

 

[David A]

There is a lot of discussion here about municipal and other issues that people feel strongly about. Former Mayor Mandel doesn't mince his words on them either starting at 42:30.

 

[TAS]

Wow, I didn't see this coming.

"Jennifer Rice has received more than $75,000 in campaign support from donations and fundraisers, far more than any other incumbent on council seeking reelection. In the campaign disclosures that were made public last weekend, she’s raised more money than mayoral candidates Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack and Michael Walters."

“This is a clear message that the people support me,” Rice said Monday.

'People see me as a human being, not a politician': Jennifer Rice raises more funds than any other current councillor

She has been the subject of controversy over the past four years, but says she's popular 'because I represent the people'

ca.news.yahoo.com

 

[IanO]

She's got a very significant base of support out there; dont be fooled.

 

[TAS]

She's got a very significant base of support out there; dont be fooled.

Clearly.

 

[IanO]

There is a lot of discussion here about municipal and other issues that people feel strongly about. Former Mayor Mandel doesn't mince his words on them either starting at 42:30.

God bless Mandel and his rant there.

 

[bodsbods9090]

You want a good laugh...

Go look at Paul Brake's twitter profile. He's running for City Council. Yikes is all I have to say.