A8
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
Civic conflict
Seniors seek support in tax protest A Pitt Meadows couple seeks support for their property tax petition, while the mayor warns people to do their research before signing anything. by Troy Landreville tlandreville@mrtimes.com
Tom and Norma Murray are taking on the City of Pitt Meadows. And they’re asking for help. The retired couple and long-time Pitt Meadows residents are upset over the municipality’s plans for an annual four-per-cent property tax hike, on average, for each of the next five years. “I cannot quite understand the thought process behind the idea of raising property taxes by four per cent per year for the next several Troy Landreville/TIMES years,” Tom wrote in a letter that he Norma and Tom Murray are gathering names on a petition, in protest of Pitt Meadows’ plans of hand delivered to City hall Friday raising property taxes by an average of four per cent per year over the next several years. morning, July 6. “In the past two years alone, if my memory serves me correctly, our past 15 years and say they have seen growth, increases in general taxation taxes have risen by well over 10 per property tax increases every year. are implemented to close the gap cent. If your idea is to force young Norma has lived in the home for the between projected revenue and the families and retired people to have past 40 years. budgeted expenditures.” to sell their homes and find a place “If you check back on Pitt For his part, Tom says he hasn’t to live where they can afford, you Meadows taxes, you will find that seen a satisfactory return on his propwill probably be right on track,” he since 2002, roughly, taxes have pretty erty tax investment over the past decwrote. much doubled,” ade-and-a-half. Tom is circulating a petition and Tom said. For example, has already collected a handful of “People think the Murrays names on it. they can’t would like to “It is very easy to The petition reads, “We are referdo anything see the City sign your name to ring to the proposed property tax about what funnel its increases of four per cent per year for City hall resources into a paper. But please the next five years. Young families does, but we making local get the facts first and retirees… in fact, anyone who have a lot of roads safer. before doing so.” isn’t making ends meet… most of retired people They have the residents of Pitt Meadows, can’t in town, we unsuccessDeb Walters afford to support this.” have a lot of fully lobbied for Tom, who was at the IGA on Harris young people speed bumps Road on Saturday, gathering signain town, we on their street tures, said, “So when you’re talking have people working at two jobs who for years, and say speeders rat race four per cent a year over five years, I can’t make it with one job.” through their neighbourhood, which figure that will probably be five or six “It’s like, ‘You can’t fight City hall,’ includes Davie Jones Elementary, to [per cent] on average.” but you can,” Norma added. “You avoid street lights on some of the Pitt First and foremost, Tom wants Pitt can try.” Meadows’ main roads. Meadows residents to know he’ll “be The tax increase will likely measure “It’s a highway,” Norma said. around,” looking for support. out to be about 40 per cent over the “Somebody’s going to get killed,” He would also like to recruit five next seven years, in Tom’s estimaTom added. volunteers, preferably more, to help tion. “We’re not seeing any of the benebring the petition to the people of Pitt Pitt Meadows Mayor Deb Walters fits at all,”Tom added. “There are Meadows. told the TIMES via email that “it is things that are vital, things that must “And anyone who wants to get unfortunate” that people focus on be done to keep the City up, but some exercise and knock on doors a percentage number, noting that maybe in this time when we have a to fight City there are many lot of people at zero per cent raises, hall, please factors that and we’re watching the property contact Tom influence the taxes go up… I’m fighting it.” Murray at bottom line Walters said the petition would 604-465for property be noted by council, but encourages 9437,” he taxes. residents to participate during the said. Property budget process. Tom and assessments “Learn the facts,” she said. “This Norma hope can have a council has requested staff to look to collect a positive or at ways to better engage the public. minimum of negative This not only will be extremely help500 signaeffect regardful to residents to provide them with tures before less of the a better understanding of where their presenting percentage, taxes are going, but will provide us Troy Landreville/TIMES the petition she said. with the necessary feedback to make Norma and Tom Murray have already gathered names on to the City “It should good decisions.” a petition protesting a property tax hike by the City of Pitt also be noted sometime in Walters said, “It is very easy to Meadows. the next few that one per sign your name to a paper. But please weeks. cent of taxes get the facts first before doing so. A former financial planner, mortis a tax rate stabilizer,” Walters said. Take the time and contact the City’s gage broker, and School District 42 “That will be satisfied this year…” finance department and ask your trustee, Tom doesn’t want to wait She quoted Pitt Meadows director questions.” too long to deliver the petition to the of finance and facilities Dean Rear, She said that Pitt Meadows council City. who said, “The City prepares an is well aware of the global economy. He fears that if he doesn’t take expenditure budget to deliver a set of “We know that we need to mainaction now, “it will get lost in the services to the community and then tain a certain service level, protect ether.” has to generate the revenue necesour assets now and into the future The Murrays have lived together in sary to pay for those services. While while being sustainable,” Walters their home on 120B Avenue for the there is usually new revenue from said.
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