The Cariboo Regional District has been informed by the Surveyor of Taxes office in Victoria that a coding error occurred on the Building Inspection Services line item of some Cariboo Regional District tax notices.
As a result, properties in electoral areas D, G, H, and L were inadvertently dropped from the list of taxable properties for this tax item when the service areas were combined, and the entire tax burden was borne by the remaining listed taxpayers in the Building Inspection Services area. Although it does not show on their current year’s tax notice, residents within the Building Inspection Services Boundary, who are residing in Electoral Areas D, G, H, and L, are still responsible for this taxation.
In 2011, the Building Inspection Service for central and south Cariboo was combined with the Building Inspection Service for the north Cariboo.
The Surveyor of Taxes is currently revising tax calculations for this service, and will issue a notice of revised taxes in July, 2011.
Some taxpayers will see an increase in taxes and will have to make payment upon receipt of the revised notice.
Other taxpayers in the region will see a decrease in taxes.
Credit balances of $100 or more will be refunded to the taxpayer; credit balances of less than $100 will be retained, and the amount will be applied, with interest, to 2012 property taxes.
For example a property assessed at $300,000 within the building inspection boundary — and was taxed for the service already — will be receiving a credit of approximately $60. On the other hand, if that property within the Building Inspection Service area was not taxed for the service, the property owner will be required to pay approximately $35 in addition to the original tax notice.
All affected residents are required to pay the amount indicated on their original tax notice by the due date, regardless of this error, in order to avoid any penalties. Those residents who will be receiving an additional tax bill for their portion of the building inspection costs will be provided with an alternative date for payment of that fee.
Tax notices can be paid at local Service BC offices, which are aware of the situation.
Anyone requiring further information on this issue or other local service taxation questions can contact the chief financial officer for the Cariboo Regional District at 250-392-3351 or toll free at 1-800-665-1636.
