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Commercial property doesn’t get a vote

As the assessment notices go out we wonder how our assessment will affect the tax bill. B. C. Assessment sets the value of the property and the municipal government sets the mill/tax rate for each category, residential, industrial, light industrial, commercial, agriculture etc., all different rates.

As the assessment notices go out we wonder how our assessment will affect the tax bill. B. C. Assessment sets the value of the property and the municipal government sets the mill/tax rate for each category, residential, industrial, light industrial, commercial, agriculture etc., all different rates.

With this comes the discussion as to who should pay for what. I know industry in some communities were appealing their assessments and refusing to pay their taxes.

Who should pay for what was one of the reasons I got involved in local politics way back in 1980. At that time the commercial core felt it was being unfairly penalized and felt city hall was placing a burden on them for services they do not use. A small businessperson who owns his or her property requires services such as street and sidewalk maintenance, water and sewer services, and garbage disposal. Most major industries do not even require all of those services. The dilemma then comes from the question as to why they should pay for all the other amenities that the residential sector demands and city hall seems to feel obliged to provide. Many services I agree with, but those demanding those services should be the ones who pay the bill.

I will use my own property as case in point. My commercial property is 36 feet wide and 120 feet long. It has an assessed value of about $350,000 and the mill rate is $23.629 per thousand or $8,270 plus school, water, etc. for a total of $9,422 in taxes. My residential property is three times that size, and if worth the same $350,000 and has a mill rate of $10.731 per thousand, I would pay only $3,755 in taxes. My home with the larger lot is only worth $201,000 and I paid a total $1,495. So the question is. How is it that my commercial property, which does not use a pool, arena, parks, arts centre etc., etc., etc. and has one third the road and sidewalk upkeep, pays over twice as much per thousand as a residential property that is demanding the extra services? Could it be that I don’t get a vote for my commercial property? Walt Cobb is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. He is a former Liberal MLA, former Williams Lake mayor, and current president of the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce.