News Release
Call for Public Protest Against Assessments Broadens
(Friday, January 19/2001)-- For the second time in as many days, a Halifax Regional Councillor is publicly urging her constituents to appeal their 2001 property assessments as a means of protest against the province's assessment process.
District 12 Councillor Dawn Sloane's appeal today follows fast on the heels of one Thursday by District 13 Councillor Sue Uteck, who called for the public to flood the telephone lines of the local Assessment Department offices with inquiries about the new residential and commercial property assessments.
Both Councillors claim the province's assessment system is unfair and that it often doesn't take into account the many different kinds of housing that may exist in the neighbourhoods of peninsular Halifax e.g. a rental property with income may be located next door to a single family dwelling-- yet they may both be assessed at the same value.
Councillor Sloane (Halifax Downtown) said that property assessments in District 12 have increased approximately 30 per cent on average during the past year.
She said "Properties in District 12 have an assessed value of $1.5 billion and that translates into the highest revenues generated by any of the Districts within the H-R-M each year--- yet, property owners in this District are not being treated fairly. If District 12 is the biggest moneymaker for the municipality, then our residents should be given a break."
District 12 includes the downtown Halifax business/commercial core, as well as central Halifax residential areas.
The telephone number of the local Assessment Department Office is 424-5225.
-- 30 ---
Councillor Dawn Sloane
(902) 488-4812
