A Chestermere resident has started a petition after the Provincial government recently enacted what he calls an “unreasonable and unfair” tax increase.
After the 2013 Alberta Budget was announced in early March, town residents received word they would see a 53 per cent tax hike on the school requisition portion of their property taxes.
Chestermere resident Peter Tindall was not willing to accept the lump-sum tax increase without a fight.
“People in Chestermere have no objection to paying their fair share,” said Tindall.
“But it is unreasonable to spring this on us all at once. No one is asking for special treatment, we just want a reasonable amount of time to come up with the money.”
Tindall started a petition to ask the government to phase in the tax increase over four years.
“People need time to budget for this,” he said.
“You can’t dump something like this on them all at one time.”
The increase comes as a result of the government eliminating a program that mitigated school requisitions for high-growth communities.
“The government has every right to end programs but to do it with no warning in the middle of the year is unfair,” said Tindall.
For the average $480,000 household, the tax hike means a $400 annual increase in property taxes.
“A lot of people are on fixed income and they are going to find it very hard to come up with $400 at the drop of a hat,” he said.
Tindall said the increase will also hurt already struggling local businesses.
“It is pulling money out of local businesses who are having a hard time because of Chestermere’s close proximity to Calgary,” he said.
“When you have to spend $400 on taxes, you can’t spend it elsewhere and that hurts everyone.”
Chestermere-Rocky View MLA Bruce McAllister said he applauds Tindall for taking the initiative and standing up against “this absurd tax hike.”
“What the Provincial government is asking is unreasonable,” he said. “No one should wake up in the morning and have to pay 53 per cent more taxes.”
He said no matter what community in his constituency saw this increase, he would stand up for residents.
“Everyone should see this for what it is: the government is drowning in a sea of red ink,” said McAllister.
“They are attempting to make up the difference on the back of taxpayers. They ran on a no-tax pledge and made several promises. It is clear they have broken them.”
Tindall said about 400 people have signed the petition so far.
It is available in a number of local businesses and can be found at the Town office and Chestermere Public Library.
