MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD SPEAK
UP ON ASSESSMENT PROCESS
With the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation
(MPAC) under unrelenting attacks by Ontario
municipalities, it’s time for municipal
associations to review property assessment policies
and present their recommendations on how the
system should work, said Bob Runciman, MPP for
Leeds-Grenville.
“I believe the Association of Municipalities
(AMO) and the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association
(ROMA) should establish committees to review
the property assessment process and decide how
the system can best work for them,” said
Runciman, who is also House Leader of the Official
Opposition.
“It would also be a good time for municipalities
to discuss tax policies as they relate to the
different categories of tax rates within their
communities,” he said. “Should the
capping of business and industry tax rates be
scrapped? Should more categories be added? Should
municipalities have more flexibility in setting
the tax rate for certain classifications,”
these are all issues municipalities should discuss
and make their views known.”
Complaints about the current market value assessment
program have been unrelenting in the past few
years and in many cases, municipal leaders have
been the most vociferous critics.
“People forget MPAC is a non-profit corporation
that is controlled by a board where municipal
leaders have the majority of members,”
said Runciman.
Runciman said he believes it’s time for
municipalities to take their criticisms to the
next level and recommend reforms they feel will
make property assessment more effective to their
needs, and more acceptable to their constituents.
This can be done effectively through AMO and
ROMA.
Many constituency offices across Ontario have
been deluged by criticism resulting from the
assessment of recreational vehicles in campgrounds.
The decision to assess these trailers resulted
from a court decision made in response to a
petition from a municipality questioning why
these “semi-permanent, summer dwellings”
were excluded from property assessment rolls.
The Minister of Finance implemented a regulation
making the court order effective for 2003.
Runciman said he supports a petition being
circulated among municipalities urging the government
to delay implementation of the tax until 2004.
“Municipalities should play a role in
determining how their properties are assessed
and how tax rates are applied to these properties,”
said Runciman. “I am really looking forward
to seeing their recommendations.”
Media Contact:
Don Swayne
Constituency Executive Assistant
(613 342-9522)
