Tax fairness is equal treatment
Dear editor: We are writing this letter of objection to proposed tax assessments on properties which is being considered by our current government.
Because we are permanent residents of West Kelowna and do not own a second vacation property, this tax does not affect us, but it strikes us as extremely unfair.
The province of British Columbia and British Columbia developers have spent untold amounts of money and time in other provinces advertising investment opportunities such as second homes, properties on lake fronts and in ski resorts encouraging buyers to invest.
When a property was purchased, not only did the investor pay taxes (GST and PST) — which is fair — they also paid land transfer taxes. They are taxed similarly to any other landowner, which is also fair. With current proposed taxes, if you, by chance purchased a second home in Kelowna or West Kelowna ( or in the Lower Mainland or parts of Vancouver Island) you are targeted with additional taxes, but if you, luckily, purchased a home in Peachland or Lake Country or Penticton or Okanagan Falls or Osoyoos, you face no additional tax.
It’s like a game where the rules are made up or changed while the game is being played. And this is in the name of helping B.C. people to buy a home? Because these places are vacant part of the time?
What about our B.C. people from the tax-targeted areas who own a second home elsewhere and leave their homes here vacant for part of the year? Their places are also empty so, by this rationale, they also should pay the new tax.
People who live here part time pay full taxes, use our facilities, spend copious amounts of money in stores, in wineries, in restaurants and bars, at gas stations and in marinas.
We want their money and their support for the facilities our province and our citizens have built. Don’t penalize the out-ofprovince owners by chasing them away with extra taxes.
Quite honestly, a second home has lots of personal possessions and collectible items which are not exactly the things you may want to have in your rental property. If more affordable home prices are what is being targeted by this tax, we fail to see the connection.Taxes usually go into general revenue.
The main problem with the projected tax is its gross unfairness in targeting only select areas where others go scot-free. The new tax perpetuates the notion that other Canadians are not welcome here. B.C. just wants their money and will get it by any means possible.
Tax fairness means that everybody is treated equally according to their means. Bill and JoAnn Sommerfeld
West Kelowna