Vancouver residents - Sign up to speak in support of Councillor Rebecca Bligh's motion to pushback on school tax, and/or email Mayor Stewart and Council to express your support. Please read the message from STEP UP.
We are pleased to share an interesting development at Vancouver City Hall.
Newly elected NPA councillor Rebecca Bligh has tabled a motion to have Mayor Stewart demand that the NDP withdraw its proposed surcharge to the provincial school tax. The motion is on the December 4, 2018 Council agenda.
Bligh’s motion makes several excellent points, not the least of which is that this tax increase disproportionately impacts Vancouver homeowners, and encroaches upon municipal revenue sources.
STEPUP supports this motion and encourages Vancouver Mayor and Council to vote in its favour.
How Can You Help?
Join us and let Mayor and Council know that you support this important initiative. Vancouver City Hall must represent the interests of their constituents, and send a clear message to the BC NDP that this school tax surcharge is unfair, deceptive and divisive.
As Council does not hear from speakers at their Regular Council meetings, they will consider these requests when they get to these items on Tuesday. If they agree to hear from speakers, they will refer these motions to a Standing Committee meeting, likely to the City Finance and Services meeting to be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at 9:30 am.
You will be advised as soon as possible after the Council meeting on Tuesday, as to whether Council will hear from speakers, and on which date and time.
Send a message to Mayor and Council
Once you’ve sent your request, please let us know by reply email.
Background
Mayor and Council must stand up for Vancouver homeowners who are are disproportionately affected by the “school tax” surcharge. 22,000 homes in the City of Vancouver are impacted, more than any other municipality in the province.
STEPUP’s analysis shows that the average increase in property taxes for 2019 for homes impacted by the school tax surcharge is an astonishing 35%.
Property tax expert Paul Sullivan estimates that the NDP taxes have wiped out $10 billion in Vancouver homeowner equity over the past 12 months.Listen to Paul’s interview with Lynda Steele here.
NDP say that they are increasing taxes to create affordable housing, but the taxes are not helping affordability at all. In fact, lower priced segments have increased 10% over the past year.
As Paul Sullivan says in the clip, the government is not expropriating our property, but they are expropriating the rights to our properties.
About STEPUP
The Society to Encourage Political Understanding & Participation ‘STEPUP’ is an independent, community-based society. Our Mission connects with and mobilizes people for participatory advocacy. We fund and execute campaigns on key issues and oppose politicians who divide and weaken our communities for partisan gain. We envision a British Columbia where thoughtful policy abets responsible achievement, sustainable environments, and vibrant communities. Ordinary citizens deserve to be heard by their elected officials. Addressing big challenges requires buy-in across partisan lines. We strongly oppose divisive and intransigent political policy under the guise of social conscience. We are all in this (great province) together.
STEPUP was formed in spring 2018 by a committed group of diverse citizens who were previously not politically active. The motivation was a genuine concern for the current trajectory of BC politics. We want healthy and vibrant communities for our children and grandchildren. We’re motivated to step it up to channel a collective voice. Today, our active volunteers are growing by the dozens. Our supporters reflect ideas from all three main BC parties. We are not partisan hacks. We’re united in a belief that BC is for the people, not the politicians. We rely entirely on voluntary donations and every dollar collected goes to deliver on our Mission. Please visit us at stepupnow.ca