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Midland: McKay calls for better control of taxes

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In Midland
Sep 4th, 2010
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News release from the Gord McKat campaign – September 3 2010
Midlanders receive a lot of services from our Town – everything from fire protection, to policing, to sports programs and indirectly, waste pick-up. These services help make Midland a great place to live.

Midlanders pay a lot of money for these services. Midland has one of the highest residential tax rates in the province. This fact has become a major impediment for residents and businesses wanting to locate to Midland. For example, a family can save $400 a year in taxes by buying their $200,000 home in Collingwood or Barrie instead of Midland. High tax rates are deterring people from coming to Midland.
Equally concerning is that many people are having a tough time finding the money to stay in their homes. Many of Midland’s seniors are on fixed incomes. These incomes are indexed to the inflation rate. Over the last 5 years the taxes paid on the average home in Midland have increased by over 16%, almost double the rate of inflation for the same period. Increased taxes are hitting the elderly hard.
Midland needs good services – that is a given. We also need better ways to control the cost of our services and reduce the tax impact upon residents. As your Mayor I will work with Council to make sure that:
– tax increases are kept to the rate of inflation, or below
– all Town spending is reviewed to ensure cost efficiencie

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Listening – Caring – Taking Action

The Media Release is provided by the Elect Gord McKay for Mayor Campaign. For further information or an interview call Gord directly at 526-7129 or e-mail him at gordonmckay@rogers.com

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Media Release – Background Information

Midland’s residential tax rate is among the highest in the province. It has been among the highest for many years.

Residential Tax Rate (includes Town, County, Waste, School)
 
Year  Midland Penetanguishene Collingwood  Barrie 

2002  1.782  1.771   1.732  1.515

2003  1.742  1.728   1.519  1.436

2004  1.565  1.539   1.361  1.334

2005  1.641  1.629   1.428  1.425

2006  1.518  1.495   1.301  1.325

2007

2008  1.64

2009  1.60   

2010  1.565  1.533   1.38  1.344
     

A high tax rate puts Midland at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting new people and business to our community.  Taxes can be the deciding factor:

  2010 Residential Tax Rate  Taxes on $200,000 Home

Barrie   1.344     $2,688
Collingwood   1.380     $2,760
Midland  1.565     $3,130

And within North Simcoe, the tax disadvantage is even sharper.

2010 Residential Tax Rate  Taxes on $300,000 Home*

Tiny   1.100 (with garbage and water) $3,300
Midland  1.565     $4,695

( * In Tiny the median home price is about $300,000.)
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This tax disadvantage, in part, deters people from moving to Midland. Statistics Canada shows that Midland’s population growth for the period 1996 to 2006 actually declined by 17 people.

Year    Midland   Ontario

1996    16,347   10,753,000
 
2001           16,214   11,410,000

2006    16,330   12,160,000

10 yr % increase  0%    13%   

(Statistics Canada has accounted for boundary changes and has adjusted the 2006 numbers at the Town’s request.)

Using MPAC assessment numbers, the Town determines the average house price in Midland each year. The Town then calculates the annual tax increase for the average priced house.

  Year   Tax Increase for Average House

  2006    2.9%

  2007    4.4%

  2008    3.5%

  2009    2.2%

  2010    2.3%

 Five year total increase  16.2%

The Bank of Canada five-year change to CPI to July 2010 is 9.0%.

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