Re: 鈥淗omeowners must apply for spec-tax exemptions,鈥� Jan. 16.
I read with interest and increasing outrage comments by Finance Minister Carole James regarding the speculation tax and that filling out the form is 鈥渁s easy as applying for a homeowner鈥檚 grant.鈥�
How hard or easy it is to fill out the form is not the issue. The issue is that the provincial government is forcing us to do this. It is telling us how to use our private property 鈥� under the penalty of a fine if we do not use our private property in a way they think is best.
If this were not so absurd, it would be funny.
We pay taxes on our private property to cover services 鈥� that is OK. If聽we do not think the services are appropriate for the taxes we pay, we have a way to deal with that through the electoral process.
There is no doubt that any money raised will disappear into that great bureaucracy (which is only going to get bigger to manage this tax) and will have no positive impact on the availability or otherwise of affordable housing.
Friends in Nanaimo, you have an opportunity on Jan. 30 to put a stop to or at least slow down this madness.
Enough.
Bill Myckatyn
Victoria
