MLA speculates about tax
The speculation tax and proportional representation referendum were two of the main subjects as Ben Stewart, MLA for Kelowna West, delivered an MLA update at a Kelowna seniors centre Friday morning.
Stewart told the group the speculation and vacancy tax has led to uncertainly in the housing market.
The boundaries for the tax have changed, but West Kelowna and Kelowna have not been exempted.
While some in the crowd had no sympathy for those with a vacation home who would pay the tax, Stewart noted dozens of projects in the community including a 1,000-unit development at Goat’s Peak are not proceeding because of the tax, which affect people working in the trades.
“If they're not out of work already or looking for work, they're going to Ànd that it's much tougher as long as this hangs over our head,” he said.
One of the problem with the spec tax bill Stewart said is it assumes the vacancy rate in Kelowna and West Kelowna is 0.2 per cent with no provision to remove the tax if the vacancy rate goes up tot two or three per cent.
“It’s not a speculation tax, it’s a wealth tax,” he said, adding there are more effective ways to attack speculation. “We don’t support it.”
With the NDP government coming to an agreement with the BC Green Party to move the tax bill ahead, Stewart said he was disappointed as Andrew Weaver, leader of the Green Party, has been hufÀng and pufÀng all summer saying he didn’t like the tax.
The Green caucus will introduce three amendments: an annual meeting between the Minister of Finance and mayors in the affected areas to review the tax; funds raised by the tax will be directed to affordable housing projects in the affected communities; and the tax will be reduced for Canadian citizens and permanent residents outside of B.C. to 0.5 per cent. The BC Liberals were considering whether to put forward amendments to the Speculation Tax bill when to gets to committee stage this week, Stewart said.
Stewart also spent time going over the proportional representation referendum.
He told the group proportional representation would mean larger ridings resulting in people never seeing their MLA.
According to Stewart, proportional representation favours special interest groups and would result in more frequent elections as coalitions between parties break down.
Stewart used Italy, Greece and Belgium, countries that have used proportional representation since 1945, as examples.
“Italy has had 65 elections, almost one every year. Greece, one every one-and a half years and Belgium one every two years,” he said.
In Germany, the Alternative for Germany party has been linked with neo-Naziism and 91 of their 94 MP were not even directly elected, Stewart said.
Stewart also went over the two question ballot, noting it was far from simple and not a yes or no question.
The Àrst question asks voters which system B.C. should use for provincial elections, with a choice between the current First Past the Post and a proportional representation voting system.
The second question asks people to rank three proportional representational voting systems.