Tuesday’s Headlines

7 comments

1. Re: For both Ford and McGuinty, an Ontario-run TTC has its perks

   In the article, Adam Radwanski, the writer, says, “Bringing the subways under Metrolinx would make it easier for Queen’s Park to fund the extensions to existing lines that Mr. Ford promised in last year’s municipal election campaign.”

   I’m not sure where Radwanski gets this idea. My take on this is that if the TTC or even just the subway gets uploaded to the province, Rob Ford’s transit promises go out the window, since the province will be in control. (Of course, Metrolinx has essentially zero experience in actually operating anything, but that’s yet another issue.)

   Anybody else got a take on this?

2. Re. City budget unfair to tenants — Councillor

   A commenter on the page hit the nail on the head………
   “Considering that NDP David Miller was in control of City Council with the support of Liberals Adam Vaughn, John Filion and his NDP gang of Gord Perks, Pam McConnell, Janet Davis, Paula Fletcher (the former Communist), Joe Mihevc, Anthony Peruzza, Maria Augiameri, and good riddance Sandra Bussin, Michael Walker, Kyle Rae, Joe Pantalone and Adam Giambrone, why didn’t they treat tenants fairly and charge the same property tax rate to poorer tenants and to generally much wealthy single family homeowners.

   Miller and gang were Champaigne Socialists who only cared about raping the city budget for their friends with nonprofit groups who fed their faces in the public money trough, and never gave a damned about the poor!”————–

   What consideration tenants received was a 15 year program to reduce the ratio of taxes they pay from 3.69 times that of residential to 2.5.

3. The Star: City budget unfair to tenants — Councillor

   Paragraph 2 “The city is looking to … slightly increase taxes on apartment buildings.”

   Paragraph 5 “In dollar terms, a tenant in an apartment valued at $100,000 will pay $1,864 in municipal property taxes this year (down from $1,911)”

   Now, it is just another Fordism that the industrial sector gets an extra cut in their taxes in the same week they agitate to spend less on green roofs, but that doesn’t excuse leading people to believe their rents are going to go up when it just means they won’t get the full amount of the decrease previously envisaged, does it?

4. Hi,

   The person Glenn quoted has made a small “oops” that is worth correcting. In recent years (ie Miller years) the City did bring the ration of taxes paid by tenants to taxes paid by homeowners down. The goal was to bring multi-ersidential buildings and business and industrial classes down gradually relative to homeowners. It was done gradually to prevent huge sudden swings in taxes paid. Between 2006 all classes were coming down gradually together.

   This year Mayor Ford improved the ratios for commercial properties and industrial properties, but NOT for apartment buildings.

   In short Miller was improving the tax ration for tenants and Ford has not.

   To see more please look at p. 16 of the attached staff presentation from yesterday.
   http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/bu/bgrd/backgroundfile-35207.pdf

   All the Best,

   Gord Perks

5. Councillor Perks,

   Forget ratios, in dollar terms will those in the multi residential property class pay more or less taxes than last year? As I posted here before, the previous council liked to talk about the improving ratios, while ignoring the actual increase in dollar amounts.

   As for your comment about the being ” done gradually to prevent huge sudden swings in taxes paid”, bull.

   There was not going to be any swinging, only a single swing. That being up for residents. The price of this political pandering is paid for by renters and business owners. Council took the the easy way out, and hoped to inflate the problem away. Lastly, how is the ending ratio of the ETBC program towards multi-residential in any way fair? 15 years to reach a point where they pay tax rate 250% greater than other citizens. That is what you supported and why your concerns ring hollow.

6. NB. Those interested in the topic should compare the tax rate changes on multi-residential properties between 06 and 08 (these use the 2005 assessments). It climbed 5.87% for those in apartments. For homeowners the rate climbed 5.24%. With friends like those………..

7. Councillor Perks,

   I am so glad that you and your friends have decided cutting taxes is the way to go but in true NDP fashion you only care about the taxes that affect your friends. Renters don’t pay taxes landlords do and landlords get to deduct mortgage interest, maintenance and they pay ~10% tax on their business income (with an ungodly number of deductions) instead of the >30% that homeowners do on their personal income. If you’re going to “correct” the disparity in the multi-res rate please finish the job and lobby the province and the feds to allow homeowners mortgage interest deductions, maintenance deductions, condo fee deductions (as condo fees are at least partially prepaid maintenance fees) and match personal income taxes to the corporate rate. If we are going to correct taxation in this country lets not cherry pick.

   I’ve noticed that you, Adam Vaughan and Shelly Caroll have taken a condescending tone toward the mayor about learning budgeting 101. Perhaps it’s time for the lot of you to study this maxim –

   There is only one taxpayer!