Media Release
For Immediate Release
December 12, 2007
Fair Tax Coalition outraged by Vision Vancouver’s stance on tax shifts
(Vancouver, BC) – The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition is outraged Vision Vancouver has turned its back on small businesses and commercial property owners.
At yesterday’s regular city council meeting, three of four Vision Vancouver councillors voted against the Property Tax Policy Review Commission’s recommendations to correct the long-standing tax inequity between business and residential taxpayers.
Vision Vancouver opposed the proposed annual one per cent tax shift over five years until the commercial class pays 48 per cent and residents pay 52 per cent of the tax share.
“Vision is engaging in fear-mongering, pitting local neighbourhood “mom & pop” retailers against their residential customers,” said Bob Laurie, co-chair of the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition. “As neighbours, businesses and residents should be pulling together in helping each other understand and share responsibility for this problem.”
“In reality, a one per cent tax shift per year over five years to the entire residential class means the average homeowner will pay the equivalent of a cup of coffee per month extra in property taxes,” continued Laurie. “This is not much to save Vancouver’s unique retail neighbourhoods which reflect the needs of their surrounding residents.”
For a resident with a property assessed at $600,000, an annual one per cent tax shift means approximately a $30 increase per year. This year, most homeowners have received tangible benefits from an increase in their property values, which have greatly offset tax increases.
“Businesses are key to our city’s social and economic vitality. By voting against tax shifts, Vision is refusing to acknowledge the unfair and excessive tax burden carried by all Vancouver businesses,” added Laurie.
According to study released this November by the Real Property Association of Canada, Vancouver has replaced Toronto as the “most over-taxed business jurisdiction in Canada.” From a property tax perspective, Vancouver has become the worst place in Canada to do business with a commercial to residential property tax ratio of five to one.
The Vancouver Economic Development Commission also released its Business Climate Report this October, calling for action to improve conditions for doing business in Vancouver. The group agrees high taxation is hurting the business climate and would like to see city council implement the tax commission’s recommendations.
The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition represents 43,000 local businesses concerned about the high municipal property taxes they pay. For more information visit www.fairtaxcoalition.com.
Media contacts:
Ed Des Roches
Co-Chair, Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition
Tel: 604-254-5034 ext. 103
Cell: 604-808-1905
Bob Laurie
Co-Chair, Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition
Cell: 604-202-0360
Kim Thé
Contemporary Communications Ltd.
604-734-3663
Cell: 604-727-4413 |
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