By Ed Corrigan, Your Village News, October 20, 2006

Ontarians pay by far the highest property taxes in Canada. Municipal taxing powers are restricted to property taxes and fees for permits and services. A property tax system is unfair to those on a fixed income. Under the current system municipal property taxes, in Ontario, subsidize provincial programs and services over $ 3 billion per year. It is not appropriate to fund provincial programs from municipal property taxes. The money grab does not end there. Councillor Susan Eagle is reported to have supported a request for $1,000,000 for a drug treatment program “aimed a reducing substance abuse problems in London’s core area’s.” (London Free Press September 25, 2006). This problem clearly falls under provincial responsibility. London’s property tax payers should not be
burdened with this additional cost.

According to Association of Municipalities of Ontario “Ontario’s unique situation of requiring municipalities to subsidize provincial programs and provincial services is not good public policy and it is not economically sustainable.” Why would a senior level of government pay for a program someone else is funding? Ward 9 property tax payers should not be forced to pay for programs that are not municipal responsibility.