Ft St John Council Moves To Cut Business Tax While Handing Residents A Major Increase

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 07:37 PM

Ft St John, B.C. - A special meeting of Ft. St. John City Council has struck a new proposed budget for business in that community.

In a move today the city lowered the increase of just under 42% for business in Ft. St. John, to 30.6%. At the same time the Council has proposed to increase the tax for home owners from 5.4% to 15.9%.

The City says it has shaved $1.1 million dollars from the proposed budget. Among the items cut are: - $350,000 from Reserves- $450,000 for new RCMP funding- $410,000 for new staff funding

The owner of Fort Motors, Brian Gentles says, "It’s still not enough -- a 30.6% tax hike is too much a jump for businesses to take." Theresa Mucchi, another local businesswoman says,”It is too much at once - it needs to be brought in gradually; you can't hit businesses with this all at once. It's not fair."

President of the Fort St. John & District Chamber of Commerce, Andy Ackerman, says, "The Chamber is certainly concerned about this much of a hike, with such short notice... it’s simply not in the budgets of businesses to swallow such a large increase. We want to work with everyone involved to come to a solution."

This coming Monday The City and the Chamber will host a joint meeting to discuss the taxes and look for solutions .

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Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 07:37 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Palopu on April 30 2008 9:06 PM

Children playing at being adults, with the results being exactly as you would expect.

Posted by: Harbinger on April 30 2008 9:55 PM

Wow! Better there than here. But for how long? Look fer solutions? Either pay or move to Alberta. I understand things are great there.

Posted by: zoopdingle on April 30 2008 10:15 PM

Sounds like a wonderful place to live.

Two words. Civil Disobedience.

If every one was to stand up and say,"NO" what would council do? Stare at them in a disapproving manner? Business owners are starting to object, now is the time for Joe and Josephine Homeowner to stand up.

Posted by: owl on April 30 2008 11:19 PM

"Either pay or move to Alberta. I understand things are great there."

Of course they are. Don't forget, when you look at the amount of money you are paying for heating your house and driving your vehicle, much of the money is going to the province of Alberta as a windfall just because they are sitting on oil.

I do not see anyone getting upset at Alberta. People are getting upset at oil companies, the feds, and our own province for taxes on the fuel ...... but no one is getting ticked off at Alberta for collecting and keeping royalties for themselves and contnuing to become those blue eyed sheiks ......

Would a different perspective of the Ft. St. John situation be that they are trying to deliver the kinds of benefits that Grande Prairie has? Trying to keep people in Ft. St John rather than having them move to Alberta? But, they are between a rock and a hard place .... the same local economy, but not the same access to dollars, and caught in a catch 22 situation as a result?

Posted by: lostfaith on May 1 2008 12:05 AM

In case many of you don't realize.
Many of the business's in FSJ are actually owned and operated by BC residents that have their business's registered in Alberta with an empty Alberta office complete with phone and fax machine.
They pay barely any tax in BC because of it.
Nice scam don't you think.
Another one of those things you didn't know.
I'm thinking if we knew everything that was happening regarding the scams some companies are pulling on us we would be absolutely shocked.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on May 1 2008 7:40 AM

Lostinfaith, property taxes are paid to BC not to Alberta.

As for scams, I always try to park where I don't have to plug a parking meter, I'll save those spaces for those that like to pay.

Talk to municipal employees - they get told to spend all their budget, or they won't get anymore money next year. There is no incentive to keep costs under control, the system doesn't work that way. The tax payers can always be forced to pay more every year.

Posted by: Harbinger on May 1 2008 10:58 AM

Ha ha ha . Stand up to city council and say "NO"? If you do they will tell you to sit down. "Because you don't have the floor". It is called Roberts Rules of Order. Pick up and peruse a copy. If ya can't read ask someone in the know.

Posted by: zoopdingle on May 1 2008 12:52 PM

Quote Harbinger

"Ha ha ha . Stand up to city council and say "NO"? If you do they will tell you to sit down. "Because you don't have the floor". It is called Roberts Rules of Order. Pick up and peruse a copy. If ya can't read ask someone in the know."

Ummm, the thing about "civil disobedience" is that no one would give a rat's ass about Robert's Rules. Or your rules. Or city council's rules. They'd be trying to affect change by standing up for what they believe is right.