Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun September 28, 2010
WHISTLER - The provincial government has shelved a proposal for tax relief for communities heavily dependent upon industries, saying the cost implications are significant. The decision, made public at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, was greeted with anger and unhappiness by mayors of small and medium-sized municipalities who have faced a tax revolt from large industries who refuse to pay their property taxes. In the 2010 Throne Speech the provincial government promised to work with local governments to come up with an equitable formula for industrial taxation in communities where a single industry makes up a significant portion of the tax base. But on Tuesday, a UBCM panel said a proposal it drafted that would see the province kick in between $17 million and $42 million annually to resource-dependent communities over the next 10 years in return for lowering or getting rid of their Class 4 industrial tax rates had been politely shelved by Victoria. Under the proposal, as many as 32 of the 76 communities with Class 4 tax rates would voluntarily declare themselves "industrial communities". But industry representatives wanted the classification to be mandatory, fearing a patchwork of communities across B.C. with varying tax systems. (more)
WHISTLER - The provincial government has shelved a proposal for tax relief for communities heavily dependent upon industries, saying the cost implications are significant. The decision, made public at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, was greeted with anger and unhappiness by mayors of small and medium-sized municipalities who have faced a tax revolt from large industries who refuse to pay their property taxes. In the 2010 Throne Speech the provincial government promised to work with local governments to come up with an equitable formula for industrial taxation in communities where a single industry makes up a significant portion of the tax base. But on Tuesday, a UBCM panel said a proposal it drafted that would see the province kick in between $17 million and $42 million annually to resource-dependent communities over the next 10 years in return for lowering or getting rid of their Class 4 industrial tax rates had been politely shelved by Victoria. Under the proposal, as many as 32 of the 76 communities with Class 4 tax rates would voluntarily declare themselves "industrial communities". But industry representatives wanted the classification to be mandatory, fearing a patchwork of communities across B.C. with varying tax systems. (more)
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