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I feel exploited and deceived

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Worry Resident, Jun 24, 2013.

?

Do You feel that Home Taxes are unfair?

  1. Yes

    6 vote(s)
    50.0%
  2. No

    6 vote(s)
    50.0%
  1. KATY121

    KATY121 Guest

    X2 i don't have kids and don't use school, and i don't use public transportation. and is supposed that a business have to survive with sound administration of earnings and expenses and not asking money to build gigantic projects, just imagine if every business in the province ask for help to the province that will mean that a particular business is a failure and need to be scrapped of the table, is like public transportation, i see empty buses most of the time and translink insist in growing, what in the world for? they need to have an excuse to get to your honey.
    not only that but many of the taxes we pay are not justifiable, only by reading my property tax notice i see money gone and where? it says in the PTN that for general taxes, what is general taxes? do we have something in exchange? "general" is very vague "general" interpretation, lest see.. popcorn...? chewing gum...? dinner out...? like somebody said look around, how many people in need you see?
    the charge for water, boy! having so much water in the province do we really need to pay over 600? that is too much and the lines to supply this water last a long time and is not something that you have to mantain every year, and once they don't use that money they pass it to "general" oh boy! that general is driving me crazy, a crazy in poverty for sure.
     
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  2. milquetoast

    milquetoast Senior Member

    You're all very short sighted. Even if you don't have kids and never will, you benefit from schools indirectly by living in an educated society. :facepalm:
     
  3. Bine

    Bine Full Member

    I hate the government, they should be destroyed.
     
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  4. were screwed

    were screwed Guest

    BC, Canada for that matter is more and more being run by criminals. They have weaseled they're way into the corridors of power so they and they're cohorts can manipulate and exploit the system.
    The oil companies and property developers are the worst bunch. Being patriotic in this country is a fools game.
    Our Country has been gaining vast wealth with the exploitation of it's natural resources. Yet we as citizens see no direct benefit from the sale of "our" resources, oh we are told that the licensing and royalties are benefiting Canada but we don't see any of it. We are gauged on oil and gas that comes right out of our backyard. I have been checking Gas prices in the Western U.S regularly and in most places gas pricing has remained fairly stable at below $1 a liter for quite some time. Meanwhile back in Canada and especially BC, gas prices bounce around wildly and respond very well in an upward and quick fashion soon as any bad news from around the world happens. Then they take there sweet time to settle back down.
    The excuses for jacking the price of gas in this province is pathetic. The latest one a month ago was a refinery shut down for maintenance. What! at a time of high demand during the start of summer. What BS. The useless POS executive who is in charge of planning should be fired. That should have been done at periods of lower demand. It was all bullshit anyway, reviewing gas prices in the States it made no impact on prices down there what so ever.
    Changing over from the Gallon to the Liter was a big detriment also for allowing these clowns to extract more money out of us. When gas prices move in the States Like what is happening now. They will be going up 10-15Cents a gallon. Here the Oil Cartel made the jump weeks ago and Jacked it 10-15 cents per liter. and when US prices are set to jump this week, here in Canada they will give us an additional screw hike in prices. They are a despicable dirty lot I tell you. I drive to the interior on occasion in a small 4 cylinder car and it is getting to the point were the cost is getting prohibitive.
     
  5. Sandy2

    Sandy2 Guest

    You are not part of this society I'm sure, If you where educated and not a lackey of the government trying to defuse a situation of abuse, you will be educating yourself and sharing ideas for the benefit of residents in BC.
    We all are in a situation in which only the government enjoys life, In the Charter of Rights and Freedoms We have the right to enjoy life... or do We...? This right is being taken from Us, Is prohibitive to use You car, or dinner out, small pleasures are being taken from Us to the point that We have to choose between Taxes, Gasoline, TransLink or Medicine.
    I see broken promises from Our government, In an election in which a candidate is chosen by the voters means that they are elected as administrators of the natural resources, In other words they are hired to manage this big business that is the Province of BC. So here You have one more resident asking, Where is Our share of those natural resources?
     
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  6. Briann

    Briann Guest

    You sound exactly like Me, if I have a little of fun i feel remorse for the expenses, is not fair. but i have to pay taxes...
     
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  7. Is Me 007

    Is Me 007 Guest

    We need to fight this as we did with the HST
     
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  8. Bine

    Bine Full Member

    Considering the assessed value of homes in Vancouver and the prices that are still being garnered the land taxes in this city are very inexpensive. Saskatoon, Calgary, Toronto, Victoria and Ottawa all have much higher, in some cases double the tax per assessed $ value of the home.
     
  9. I think You are mistaking, Many people from this Province is moving to Calgary, Saskatoon, Toronto and Ottawa because they have much lower property taxes, Victoria is in this Province so there You have Your misguided information :)

    Just the other day I notice that a home worth 7,000,000 in West Vancouver pays 10,000 in property taxes.
    My home is worth 900,000 and I pay 5,550 in property taxes, How do You explain that disproportionate difference? a home that is worth 7 times less than the one at Seven Millions is paying more than half in taxes.
    I copy a North Shore News story that will give You a hint of what is going on and where is going Our money. this is the time that We should demand for an audit from revenue Canada and see how politicians had stabbed in the back the voters in this province...

    Municipal salaries provoke criticism

    BY ANNE WATSON, NORTH SHORE NEWS AUGUST 7, 2013

    THE number of municipal employees earning more than $100,000 a year has jumped, according to recently released 2012 financial statements.
    The City of North Vancouver and the districts of North and West Vancouver have released the previous year's financial statements, a requirement under the Financial Information Act.
    Municipalities must provide financial information, such as salaries and expenses, for any employees earning more than $75,000. The number of employees earning a six-figure salary in all three municipalities rose from 156 in 2011 to approximately 194 in 2012, with the District of North Vancouver boasting the highest number at around 93 employees.
    "North Shore residents should be very concerned," said Jordan Bateman, B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "You have almost 200 employees now making $100,000 in a year between these three municipalities. Lots of overlap obviously in what these positions are doing."
    Bateman said the District of North Vancouver's surge in salary increases is of particular concern.
    "The City of North Van stayed pretty much static, District of West Van went up by 10, but I can't think of any reason why the list of six figures in the District of North Vancouver would have gone up by 60 per cent," he said, adding that he has talked to other municipalities across the province and most stay either static or have very slight increases.
    "I don't know what the DNV did, but it is definitely not in line with what's happened in other municipalities," said Bateman.
    District of North Vancouver spokeswoman Jeanine Bratina said the difference from last year's salaries is 31 additional employees making more than $100,000 per year.
    "The majority of this number is made up of some of the district's fire services staff, and that is due to fire services staff receiving three years' retroactive pay due to a new collective agreement," she said, adding that 27 of the 31 are from Fire and Rescue Services. "The numbers should be back on track next year, as there will be no retroactive pay reported for fire services."
    The highest-ranking salaries for all three municipalities, however, are still the executives
    at the top, with all three chief administrative officers pulling in more than $230,000 last year. Ken Tollstam, chief administrative officer for the City of North Vancouver, earned the most at more than $269,000.
    "They have been very crafty over the years, the 200 or so positions like this that are available across the province, in continually pushing their salaries higher," said Bateman. He said when one CAO gets a raise, it usually causes a ripple effect throughout the province. Bateman said though it rarely happens, there is a concern that a CAO may jump from one community to another.
    Of the three mayors, Richard Walton of the District of North Vancouver had the largest salary of almost $96,000, followed closely by City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto at more than $93,000 while District of West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith earned less than $75,000. Councillors in all three municipalities averaged between $30,000 and $40,000.
    "No one at city hall ever takes a pay cut, so once you bump them up to a certain
    level, they're only going to continue to grow from there," said Bateman. "The best you can usually hope is to get them to freeze the salaries, but even that very rarely happens."
    He said when there is a significant increase, residents should investigate further, to see if the mayor and council are exercising proper oversight and demanding answers from their administrative officers.
    "When you see this number jump like that, you have to ask several questions," said Bateman. "What exactly is going on here, and are we really getting that much better service from our civic employees to warrant that kind
    of pay increase?" The overall spending on police services is also included in the municipal financial statements, though specific details of earnings are not made available.
    Police in the District of West Vancouver earned more than $10 million collectively, and policing services cost the District of North Vancouver more than $11 million last year. However, the City of North Vancouver was unable to provide earnings because of a legal dispute over pay raises for some of its RCMP members in 2009 and 2010. The final numbers were not determined and therefore not included in last year's statements.
    Bateman said for concerned residents, the best thing to do is to get out and vote at election time.
    "It all comes back to the ballot box. Until you get taxpayers willing to go to the ballot box and cast their vote for fiscally responsible government, this will continue on and on," he said. "If people who are struggling to pay their taxes and see tax increases every year, if they don't come out and put a scare into their council and probably move some people around, hold people accountable for their spending decisions, this will just continue to escalate."

    Read more:http://www.nsnews.com/business/Municipal+salaries+provoke+criticism/8757662/story.html#ixzz2bPiF1Iw6
     
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  10. Home buyer.

    Home buyer. Guest

    I came to British Columbia Canada to buy a house attracted for the scenery and similarity with My Country.
    But what a deception to find home prices much more expensive than Switzerland, With half of the cost I can buy another home or chalet in the Swiss Alps and pay much, much lower taxes.
    What was I thinking? I am sorry for You and for what You Country Province has become. You pay too much for nothing, let alone almost the same in taxes for a 7 million property in comparison with a 900,000 dollars house, it is ridiculous.
    I hope that You nice people of British Columbia Canada can solve this issue with Your Government.

    Good Bye
     
  11. Trish

    Trish Guest

    When I see how the North Shore has changed since the Government of Darrell Mussatto and Richard Walton I feel frustrated, This two had made of the North Shore a third class ghetto while We pay luxury taxes in a crowded city with traffic and People, All with the intention of make Us leave Our cars at home and favour TransLink, This duo of crooks are not happy with what We pay in taxes they want more and We just bend and take it, We became cowards no willing to fight for what is right!
     
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  12. the mechanic

    the mechanic Active Member

    ... there are a variety of reasons why i'd never live on the north shore, the exorbitant price of property and taxes being a couple of them, as you've pointed out. if you find it so atrocious, why do you live there?
     
  13. Trish

    Trish Guest

    Because My Father bought this house since 1925, and I have more right to be here and voice My discontent than those crook politicians who never give clear answers to the North Shore Residents, and is them who should leave, not Me!
    We pay more in gasoline, hydro, natural gas, and groceries, You should see how expensive food is in the N. S. all this is a consequence of high property taxes, It has to be an end to all this, everyone of My acquaintances complain why the legal system is turning a blind eye and why at this stage no audit has been made to see where is Our money going, there in no end to this abuse!
    I am not a quitter I am a fighter!
     
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  14. the mechanic

    the mechanic Active Member

    ... great post, Trish. I agree with you a hundred percent. i'm in a similar situation myself with a family property. both the federal and provincial governments are obsessed with it -- onerous liens and taxes every frickin' year!

    ... what it comes down to is this: the government has declared all-out war on property owners in british columbia which is why the government must be denounced and kicked out ASAP!
     
  15. Another one

    Another one Guest

    I think that eventually will have to resort for a fight to survive, what do You guys think of the price of food? This must be for the high property taxes, don't You think?
     
  16. Kirk

    Kirk Guest

    the balance is tipping towards a serious fight for survival, in the north shore both mayors allow the rest of the province to abuse north shore residents paying the big chunk for any proposal like the new sewer treatment plant, leaving the other cities like burnaby, surrey and p. coq. with less burden.

    abusive and near criminal oppression against north shore residents, yes sir!
     
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  17. No more caca

    No more caca Guest

    I like a lot what You say "Sandy2" to impose taxes the abusive way it really takes the "Joy of life" out of Our existence, and I mean taxes in general, property taxes, gasoline taxes, translink taxes, carbon tax, pst, gst, like somebody said, "We don't print money" then I sak: Is this a plan to steal Our homes?
     
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  18. the mechanic

    the mechanic Active Member

    ... steal our homes? the government doesn't need to steal our homes -- they already own them! do you actually believe you OWN your property when you are extorted into paying annual rent to the government or face foreclosure? true property ownership does not exist in canada!
     
  19. Senior

    Senior Guest

    I am paying 450 monthly to the government for my home! That makes 5,400 a year. No we don't own our homes, we are tenants under potential eviction.
     
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  20. Valery

    Valery Guest

    What We need is a group of Professionals, Lawyers, accountants Doctors, Engineers etc. to form an association based on Our civil liberties and willing to volunteer and investigate the Government for the well being of residents, and willing to make an audit and see why this high taxes and where is the money going, Why residents in this Province don't have any share of the natural resources and added to that they should investigate why MSP (and Doctors) are sending patients far way from where they live to have tests done or to see a specialist, to illustrate this situation a patient from Delta is sent to Vancouver's UBC to do an IMR, this is with the intention to discourage the patient from doing such an expensive procedure that costs to the MSP a lot (so they say) I found in this province a lot of unethical attacks against taxpayers and nothing in return but more burden in Our lives.
    Recently the Deutsch bank estimated that properties are overvalued 60% higher than they should be, this is part of the mechanics of the government to make You pay more taxes over a fiction value non existent whatsoever. What comes to My mind is organized crime with delirium of greatness, let Me explain: Candidates like Richard and Darrel, Christy and Gordo kiss Our ass in election time to make You vote for them, after kissing your ass they get elected and this is the time for delirium of greatness! they feel like some kind of mercenaries who have to take it all, and I tell You guys, even the most insignificant underdog must have just a little of dignity.
    We are seeing Our efforts to enjoy life vanished in the form of scams called taxes...
    Or either We organize or We loose and accept being tamed.
     
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