If a political candidate comes to your door, you attend a candidate’s office or participate at an “All Candidates Meeting”, please bring up the property tax/ downloading issues to the candidates. If our issues are not addressed at this election, Ontario faces massive property tax increases in November 2008.

Please ask some or all of the following questions.

• Do you agree that Market Value Assessment is putting home ownership in jeopardy due to rapid and large increases in property taxes? (Average assessment increased from $179 000 in 2003 to $233 000 in 2006)
• Do you agree that municipal property taxes should pay for only municipal services and the Province should be responsible for its own taxation needs? (Garbage removal, snowploughing are examples of municipal services)
• Downloading of costs to municipalities for services like court costs, welfare, road maintenance etc. were established by former Premier Mike Harris to be “revenue neutral”. There is now a $3.9 billion shortfall in funding across Ontario. How would you eliminate the downloading expenses to municipalities?
• Are you in favour of hosting a “conference” where municipal leaders, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs and any other stakeholders, could meet to develop a fairer, more stable method of taxing ratepayers? ( An Osprey poll says over 80% of ratepayers do not like Market Value Assessment)

We need you to act as ambassadors to force politicians into developing improvements, to the assessment /property tax/downloading issues, into the party platforms for the election on October 10/07.

Then we’ll hold those same politicians to their word!

Please help! Don’t be frightened or hesitant. We will be there to help you if you get answers you think are not correct! Please let us know!

Be Forceful!
It’s your home and your children’s inheritance that’s at stake!

Good Luck!
Sincerely,
The Directors of CAFTA/CNTC