At a CBRM meeting about home property taxes, a man stepped forward to the microphone to tell his story. As professional capable of earning high incomes, he says the local economy isn't strong enough to provide jobs for people like him. After building a home, he's struggled for years to afford it due to excessive taxation.

Now he feels like he as to sell the home because he's fallen into tax arrears with so many other people in the CBRM. 

See video on Russ Green campaign page here

FYI There are about 6,000 homeowners in the CBRM in tax arrears. This man is clearly not alone. The total owing is about $23 Million dollars.

The CBRM's response was to hire a dedicated bill collector to try to get people to pay. Those who don't will see their homes taken by the municipality and sold at auction after several years without payment.

The homeowners are not irresponsible. They are just collapsing under the weight of unfair taxes. While the federal government sends $2 Billion a year as an Equalization transfer, with hundreds of millions of it specifically to achieve equal tax rates throughout the province, the funding is not allocated to the CBRM to correct the massive tax disparity that exists within the province.

Not only does it harm current homeowners, but it also deters others from building new homes or upgrading. It also deters seniors from downsizing in their retirement years.

NOTE: The views expressed above are my own and do not represent lokol (goCapeBreton.com). Read more