Response to Cap the Tax
Monday, September 9, 2024 at 7:40AM Response to the question, “Do you support a 3% cap on the 2025 Budget and Taxes, Yes or No”?
Jesse McClinton, no response to date. Maybe someone could ask him at the CVRD Area G Thetis Island Community Meeting on Sept. 22 at 2:00 PM?
Tobi Elliot, Vice Chair, Thetis Island Local Trust Committee, does not feel she can commit to a cap until the Trust Council sets guidelines for the 2025 Budget.
Peter Luckham, no response to date. Maybe someone could ask him at the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee meeting on Sept. 10 at 9:30 AM at Forbes Hall?
Ken Hunter responded and has given me permission to post his response:
“Good morning, Mr. Duncan,
The annual budget is approved by a vote of the 26 members of Trust Council following a lengthy debate. My personal view is that under the current model, taxpayers may not be getting their money's worth, so I voted against it. (Along with several other Trustees)
You are likely aware that the Trust was fully funded by ALL taxpayers in BC from its inception in 1974 and for the following 20 years until 1994. "The object of the trust is to preserve and protect the trust area and its unique amenities and environment for the benefit of the trust area and of British Columbia generally..."
Therefore, I believe that ALL British Columbians should share in the tax burden of the Trust.
How do we achieve this? The following is my simplest solution:
As of July 01, 2023, there were 2,184,692 taxable properties in BC. (info.bcassessment.ca). If the government placed a parcel tax on each of these properties of $5.20 for the 2025 tax year, it would generate $11,360,398.40. This amount would be enough to cover the Trust's budget of approximately $10.98M plus a 3% increase for 2025. Assuming a 2.9% inflation rate for 2025 the parcel tax would be $5.35 for the 2026 tax year.
By comparison, a 12-ounce Frappuccino coffee at Starbucks will cost $5.54 (including tax) which I believe is not a heavy burden for most British Columbians.
I would like to thank you for your detailed report which I found interesting and informative.
And finally, to answer your question, yes (while continuing to preserve and protect) I will use my one small vote in an attempt to keep the budget from growing faster than the rate of inflation.
Sincerely,
Ken Hunter
Thetis Trustee”
I regret that I will not be able to attend any of these meetings to ask, Will you please, Cap the Tax?
Paul Duncan