Merry Christmas everyone! I certainly hope that everyone’s holiday went well and continues to be happy and memorable.
Many of us know are off for the holidays and there are still lots of things to do. We have to visit some more friends, organize the presents we received and enjoy spending time with our families. I was looking through the most recent edition of the Milton Canadian Champion and I came across a letter to the editor from Milton resident Mike Rank in response to Ward 4 Councillor Wendy Schau’s letter where she tried to justify her reasons for raising taxes.
Here is her letter, followed by Mike Ranks letter.
TAX INCREASE IS MANAGEABLE
In last Friday’s Town budget story, the Champion did a good job summarizing two long nights of discussion. I’m writing because there’s one small, but important, correction and one further explanation I would like to put forward.
Firstly, the $4,000 for subsidy support for individuals and families that need assistance paying user fees for Town programs wasn’t an increase but the reversal of a proposed cut.
It was one of the reductions in service listed to bring the proposed tax increase down from 8 to 6.6 per cent. I was pleased that my fellow councillors voted to restore the funding.
Secondly, your readers may have found it strange that I’m quoted as saying that council should stop behaving as though the people of Milton are impoverished. In the past, I have often written about the need for more affordable housing in our community, so it follows that I do know that there are Miltonians who are in financial difficulties.
My statement to council was about the ability of the community, as a whole, to provide the financial support necessary for this to be a strong, vibrant and healthy place to live.
Milton‘s tax rate has been far below that of surrounding municipalities for many years. Even with the 6.6 per cent increase, Milton will continue to have the lowest tax rate in the GTA, except for Toronto. Mississauga’s rate is 19 per cent higher than ours and Halton Hills is 40 per cent, or $300 on a $300,000 assessment, more.
The argument has been made that Milton taxpayers can’t afford the increases necessary to provide a good level of service to our community as it grows.
My argument was that Miltonians are capable of contributing a fair and reasonable amount, one that’s still well below what’s asked of taxpayers in other communities.
When a tax increase is mentioned, people often ask what happens to the money that Milton receives from the proceeds of the Mohawk Slots. Milton usually receives about $5 million a year.
That $5 million should be used only for capital expenses or the Community Fund, and not in the operating fund, which is the money used to run Town services. To do so would be like a family relying on lottery winnings to pay for their groceries — not wise or prudent.
WENDY SCHAU, WARD 4 COUNCILLOR
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NOT MUCH VALUE SEEN FOR OUR TAX INCREASES
So our very own tax and spend advocate, Ward 4 Councillor Wendy Schau, doesn’t understand the “compulsion” that people have for low tax increases and feels that “wonderful communities cost money.”
Well the fact of the matter is that people are willing to pay if they see value for their money, and unfortunately I’m not seeing a lot of value for these tax increases — given the mismanagement of this whole growth process. I’m sorry, but I need someone to explain to me why the growth demands and resulting revenue charges and increases don’t stay in sync, and if they actually don’t, maybe then we’ve gotten to the real issue.
After all, pretty much all of the expansion involves homes that are relatively higher in value combined with a higher density of residences per kilometre of road.
With respect to Schau’s comment that money makes things wonderful, well then I guess I’m teaching my son all of the wrong values in life, as I really thought that a community or a society could be wonderful and happy, regardless of whether it was rich or poor.
MIKE RANK
MILTON
A 6.6% increase in our property taxes is simply outrageous. It would seem that, unfortunately, Milton is falling into the same mistakes as Toronto.
I remember about 15 years ago being told that the growth of the town would be self financing.
Frankly, I’m having difficulty understanding why I have to pay more in my taxes so more people can move to Milton.
I’m also wondering what benefits growth has brought to me. I can’t think of any, and yet I have to pay more.
Is it so unfair to ask someone who buys a new house in Milton to pay for the cost of the house? That should include their share of the cost of installing the changes to the existing infrastructure, or the building of new facilities. They should pay for the new roads, the wider interchanges, the underpasses, the new schools, the new parks, et cetera and so on.
Will that push the price of a house way up? Of course not…it’ll go on the mortgage, and be recovered when the house is sold. And while you’re living here, your taxes will be lower because somebody else moving in to town doesn’t have their hand in your pocket.
Great comments Roger. The town council made a decision when the “big pipe” was constructed to let the growth finance itself without burdoning the current tax base with increases then. Some have said it was either raise them slightly then or increase the big in a few years and we’ve seen what happened. No matter where you live in Milton everyone has felt the effects of the growth, both good and bad. – Mike