Change the Assessment Act in Nova Scotia

We the undersigned citizens of Nova Scotia, desire to change the unfair, unreasonable, and undemocratic Assessment Act.

For several years now property Assessments have been subjected to unhealthy and ridiculous increases. Waterfront properties especially have been hit hardest.

Since 1997 some property assessments have gone up more then 230%!

Property owners, who have lived on their land for generations have had to sell their family heritage whether they want to or not because of unaffordable tax burdens (according to newspaper). Also, tenants of apartments have had to move because they can not afford the increased rents that landlords have to charge because of the increased tax burden.

This situation is unjust and tantamount to cruelty.

We all have to pay taxes, but taxes must be equally distributed among all taxpayers. All of us use the same infrastructure, at the set cost for all of us.

Some of the municipal and town councils proudly announce that they have kept the tax rate (per $100 assessment) at the same level for many years. What they do not say is that the assessment value on some properties has skyrocketed. This practice is deceitful.

The government’s explanation that the assessment value is “a market value” is unfair and unreasonable. Market values fluctuate up and down. Assessments do not reflect this. Market value is at best, an estimated guess at what a property might sell for if sold. If you don’t want to sell, you do not care what the market value is.

You should not be punished with excessive tax hikes because you don’t want to sell.

If you want to sell, and find a buyer who pays you a big amount of money, your neighbours shouldn’t be punished with higher tax burden after your personal sale. Again this practice is unfair and unreasonable.

The government’s stated arguments that for 5000 years the “wealthier people” have had to pay more taxes are not valid arguments. A property that is owned by a family for generations does not mean that the family is still “wealthy”, or that they use a larger part of the infrastructure.

It is unfair that a property owner on one side of the road with some waterfront access pays five or more times the amount of taxes as the property owner on the other side of the same road with the same view, the same amount of land and same old or new building.

Both of them use the same infrastructure. We believe that the measures set out in the petition will more evenly distribute the tax burden among us all.

Also, it will make the taxes more predictable every year for municipalities, homeowners and companies.