CVRD using assessments to determine tax not fair
The Assessment Authority is using a perverted version of the axiom of equality, when every sale in your area converts to a higher assessment for everyone else in the same area. No one has ever actually come to our house to do a proper assessment. They do not take into account that you are on a well, have a septic system and not served with gas (by design).
So if house A in Cobble Hill sells for 10 per cent more than previous sales, then that means all houses must also be determined to be the same, no matter what. Ours increased by eight per cent this year while in the past three years, it has gone up a total of 18 per cent. This is all due to sales in the area.
We have been here for 35 years and have no intention of moving any time soon. When the day comes that we do sell, then we will know the true value of our place. But, in the meantime we are being penalized by the CVRD when tax time comes around. Because so many functions are based on per $100,000, we are paying almost double the average assessed homes in the Valley. I have brought up the other way that is fairer, which is an equal amount for each home no matter the assessment. The CVRD and their staff are being obstinate on this matter. They refuse to even consider a change because it might mean they would have to do a different type of math, which I assume would be too difficult for them. It is actually quite simple, even for them. Total number of homes divided into amount requested for each function equals amount required from each abode.
If our income was assessed in the same way as our homes, then maybe we could afford all the different idealistic and useless functions that the CVRD and the special interest groups come up with. The latest is the Parkland Acquisition going up to $750,000. Why do they like this figure so much? Because it is not a million dollars where people would squawk. It is much like that new car being advertised for under $50,000 when in actuality it is $49,999. Are they trying to pull off the same scam?
Contact your representative and let them know that we can only afford so much. Rather than always increasing our taxes, they should be finding ways to reduce them instead.
Ed Aiken
Cobble Hill
