Media Release
For Immediate Release
March 18, 2008
Vancouver businesses maintain TransLink property taxes be paid by all who benefit
No property class gets a free ride
(Vancouver, BC) – Vancouver businesses are expressing concern that TransLink’s new board will download an $18 million transit levy solely on the backs of commercial taxpayers. Businesses will pay their fair share but are not in agreement the property tax should be downloaded on one class of taxpayers.
“We are opposed to residents paying the entire transit levy and we are equally opposed to businesses paying the full levy,” says Bob Laurie, co-chair Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition. “All property classes benefit from transit and all should share the increase. The TransLink board needs to do the right thing. Every property class should pay their fair share.”
Laurie noted sharing the increase spreads the impact and is a fairer form of tax distribution. The VFTC estimates that including Class 1 (Residential) would result in an average residence in Metro Vancouver paying only $20 more tax per year ($1.67 per month). All other classes would pay an average of $133 per business per year. Excluding Class 1 from the allocation results in the average business paying $423 more per annum.
“If the tax levy goes only on the business class it is going to hit many small neighbourhood businesses very hard,” says Ed Des Roches, co-chair of the VFTC and a Vancouver retailer. “Frankly, the TransLink board will have taken a huge step backward and have failed at the real test of removing local politics from decision making at TransLink.”
It is not well understood that unlike residential property owners, commercial property owners do not generally pay property taxes; their tenants do, adds Des Roches. This means that neighbourhood business owners will be hardest hit by this tax because they are located on high-assessed properties, especially in Vancouver.
“Vancouver city council is taking steps to address the high tax burden on business,” says Des Roches. “They understand that business needs to be successful and vibrant, not burdened with unfair taxes. “
The intent of the revised legislation Bill C 43 was to include Class 1 residential and this is an explicit recognition that tax must be fairly distributed across all property classes.
The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition, a volunteer group representing more than 43,000
local businesses, works to ensure businesses pay a fair share of property taxes and contribute to the sustainability of Vancouver. For more information visit www.fairtaxcoalition.com. |
 |
