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property tax

Thursday September 28, 2023

September 28, 2023 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 28, 2023

Municipal Budget Woes: The Balancing Act Amid Rising Costs

March 24, 2007

In Ontario, municipalities are currently navigating treacherous financial waters, trying to maintain essential services while grappling with budget shortfalls. The pressures to raise property taxes loom large, but it’s a precarious path to tread, especially at a time when citizens are already stretched thin by rising inflation, borrowing costs, and a cost of living crisis. The recent budget discussions in Hamilton serve as a stark reminder of the anxieties that homeowners face.

News: City says 14.2 per cent tax increase looming for Hamilton next year  

August 22, 2012

Coun. Tom Jackson’s recent question in Hamilton hit a nerve: with skyrocketing property values since the last assessment in 2016, many homeowners feared their taxes would double or worse. The reality, as explained by Carmelo Lipsi, the vice-president and COO of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), is far less dire. Reassessment doesn’t automatically double your taxes; it just redistributes the tax burden.

The reassessment process is based on a complex set of factors, including real estate activity, property size, location, and construction quality. When the reassessment occurs, it compares the change in your property’s assessed value to the average change for similar properties in your municipality. If your property’s increase exceeds the average, you may expect to pay more taxes; if it’s below, you might see a reduction.

August 14, 2014

In areas with rapidly rising property values, homeowners may face tax increases, while those in more stable areas could see a reduction. Additionally, area rating in Hamilton, where different parts of town pay varying amounts for different services, further complicates the tax calculation.

It’s crucial to note that reassessment isn’t the only factor affecting taxes. Council-approved tax increases also contribute to changes in property tax bills. However, the idea that reassessment alone could double or triple taxes is a misconception.

The situation isn’t unique to Hamilton. Brockville is also facing budgetary challenges, with inflation, rising costs, and unforeseen expenses impacting the 2023 budget. A reliance on fiscal policy reserves and the need to find sustainable revenue sources loom large.

Analysis: As Ontario rolls in tax dollars, why are its cities so cash-strapped?

July 21, 2023

Oshawa, on the other hand, is exercising Strong Mayor powers to expedite budget decisions as part of a broader commitment to building 1.5 million homes by 2031. While these powers grant mayors greater control over budgets, the impact on housing remains uncertain.

In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow’s proposal for a city sales tax was met with mixed reactions. The city faces a substantial budget shortfall, and while the sales tax idea seems off the table for now, it highlights the challenging choices municipalities must make to bridge budget gaps.

Ultimately, municipalities in Ontario are navigating a complex financial landscape, and their perennial default is often to seek support from other levels of government. Raising property taxes, while often necessary to fund essential services, must be done judiciously, considering the economic pressures on residents. The reassessment process may not be the doomsday scenario some fear, but it’s a reminder of the delicate balance that local governments must strike when managing budgets in trying times. The key is transparency, communication, and a commitment to ensuring the burden of taxation remains fair for all residents. (AI)

 

Posted in: Hamilton, Ontario Tagged: 2023-17, Budget, cost of living, dominoes, federalism, Hamilton, inflation, Municipality, Ontario, property tax, tax

Friday January 27, 2017

January 26, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 27, 2017

Hamilton’s rat problem 5th worst in Ontario

Ranking based on rodent calls to pest control company Orkin Canada

Why President Trump might not be the worst for Canada

March 12, 2015

Hamilton is known for a lot of things, and its rat population is starting to become one of them.

To be sure, we’re not in the big leagues. New York and London, England are definitely the places to go if you want to see furry vermin.

But a recent rodent ranking by a pest control company suggests we are becoming a contender.

Orkin Canada says Hamilton is the fifth “rattiest city” in Ontario. Cities were ranked by the number of rodent (rat and mice) treatments the company performed from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. The ranking was based on both residential and commercial calls.

Toronto was number one in the province followed by Ottawa. An Orkin spokesperson said the results were “not weighed for population size.” So the top five “rattiest cities” list resembles closely the top five municipalities by population in Ontario.

“In theory it is probably correct to see a correlation (between population and rodent treatments) but some cities, Brampton (10), Windsor, (7) and London (12) for example, do not follow this pattern,” a spokesperson for Orkin said. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Posted in: Hamilton Tagged: Budget, cheese, Hamilton, Orkin, property tax, rats, tax, trap, vermin

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This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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