Dear Editor
For most, it’s satisfying when the assessed value of our home increases. The more it rises, the more we’re certain to realize an even greater return should we decide to sell. It’s a nice feeling, that. But then June arrives and so does the property tax bill.
It’s a bit of a downer to be reminded that a higher assessed value means a higher amount of tax. But, hey, everybody knows properties sell for more (sometimes much more) than the official assessment, so it’s not a great hardship, especially during these halcyon days of a seller’s market. So, a little pain for a bigger gain seems worth it. Besides, the home owner grant is there to help offset the higher tax bill.
But actually that’s no longer true. In 2013, the upper limit to qualify for the basic grant had risen to a property assessment value of $1,295,000. In 2014, however, the government arbitrarily lowered the threshold to $1,100,000, and there it stays. The result is that for the past two years (2014 and 2015), fewer and fewer homeowners have qualified for the full basic homeowner grant of $570.
In other words, since 2013 the B.C. Liberal government has pursued a policy of increasing the cost of owning a home.
Bill Brassington Sr., Burnaby
