In an earlier post You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Is Current Value Assessment (CVA) A Better Way? I looked at our current assessment system and the unfairness of it for many taxpayers.
Today's example looks at the Durham Region Portion of Your Tax Bill from the point of view taken by some who feel a head tax is more appropriate than property tax for raising taxes locally.
THE BACKGROUND
It is interesting to note that while the three northern communities paid the smallest portion of the overall region tax bite they also have the smallest populations. Meanwhile Oshawa which has the largest population also pays the highest portion of the overall tax bite.
In looking at the two charts above you will notice very little movement in the location on the chart or the size of their piece of the pie for each contributing community.
HEAD TAX EXAMPLE
This changes dramatically if you look at the taxes paid on a per capita basis Uxbridge suddenly jumps to the top with over 131% of the average per capita while Oshawa drops to the bottom with almost 88% of the average per capita.
If you agreed with the supporters of a head tax being a better way than our current system it would appear that Uxbridge pays far more than it's fair share to the Region.
THE QUESTION:
DO YOU THINK A HEAD TAX IS A MORE APPROPRIATE METHOD FOR RAISING TAXES LOCALLY THAN PROPERTY TAXES BASED ON MARKET VALUES?
Some disadvantages to a head tax
While both systems have inherit flaws It is not as easy to quantify the number of people living in a home as it is the value of the home
How would you make up for the 8% to 20% of the taxes currently paid for by local business
Taxes paid and the 2006 census figures are from the article:
North Durham: Drain or Gain by Jeff Hayward in the Uxbridge Times Journal November 12th 2009
Jeff was looking at the northern communities to see if they were a drain or a gain for the Region.
In looking at the figures he uses it would seem that Uxbridge taxpayers may be carrying more than their share.
Stay Tuned --- .
Earlier posts in the series
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- My Prescription Provided Pain Relief
You and "YOUR" Propertry Tax Bill -- Assessment Errors Can Be Costly
Understanding Residential Property Assessment in Ontario - #7 in a series on property taxes
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Is Your Assessment Fair and Equitable
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- OUCH!!!!!
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Your Assessment Notice Is In The Mail
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Mill Rate Idiosyncrasy's
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Is Current Value Assessment (CVA) A Better Way?
You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- Who Takes The Biggest Bite?
It will be interesting to watch what happens to
"Your" Property Tax Bill
With province wide re-assessment affecting
your 2009 property tax bill.
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