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Property Taxes in Calgary
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Rants
- Hits: 2549
And much in the news is the intention of the City of Calgary to raise property taxes, yet again. For the nth time in as many years, and for several years to come, a staggered, slow motion robbery of criminal incompetence.
The tax increases are necessary, we're told, as a result of the cities overwhelming success, we need to pay for new sewers, roads, traffic lights, better delivery of utilities, trash collection....the list is endless.
Now note that I'm not a property owner, and these tax hikes, I believe, in the end will benefit me indirectly by lowering the value of properties.
But the increases are wrong. It's money misspent. In the past 5 years house prices in the Calgary region have doubled, tripled in value. From which it is reasonable to extrapolate that property taxes have as well doubled and tripled. Yet for some reason this is not enough.
It comes down to leadership, or lack thereof. Our Mayor, Dave Bronconnier, has always been quick to ask for a handout. In this instance, as mayor, he doesn't have to ask, he can demand. And so he does.
I have no doubt some of the money will go, indirectly, towards the causes stated. I have some serious doubts that this will in any ways serve to mitigate the stresses upon the city, or otherwise improve delivery of municipal services. I am absolutely certain that a prolonged strategy of raising taxes to finance the cancerous growth of the cities suburbs can only be viewed as insane.
There are other solutions.
For example, I'd suggest that property taxes be based on entirely different criterion than "The assessed value of homes". People should not be penalized for taking pride in or renovating their properties. If anything this should be encouraged. Such an approach does nothing to halt or control the growth of low density suburbs that sap the cities resources without contributing anything in return.
A better approach might be to divide the city into zones, with those zones nearest the center of the city paying the lowest property taxes, while those towards the outskirts pay higher. The logic behind this is straightforward - high density inner urban areas are easier and cheaper to maintain (think parks, public transport, delivery of services such as trash, energy, water...) than those less dense areas further from the center.
To further refine this, let's use property taxes to encourage density in our urban areas, freeing up our prime agricultural land for .... what else, agriculture! (I'm full of wacky and counter-intuitive ideas like this).
To do this we could assign a flat rate tax per zone based on the number of square feet/meters each property occupies at ground level. Someone who owns a 1500 sq foot lot with a one bedroom bungalow on it in Zone 1 pays the same property tax as someone who builds a 10 story apartment complex on the same sized lot in the same Zone. The effect of this is to encourage people to make good use of urban space. Side effects include reduced municipal costs in terms of delivery of services such as transport, waste removal, etc. Fewer roads and sewers would need to be built or maintained, in time a reasonable public transport network could be developed, the benefits are endless. And Calgary would, in time, begin to resemble an urban area as opposed to an endless suburb.
There are many more sound strategies that could be used to reduce property taxes and improve the living environment our city offers.
The first step we need to take is to replace our mayor.
Lemony Snicket - A Series of Unfortunate Events
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1833
Currently I am in midst of reading the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series of books to my children. Which is excellent, and I would recommend you read it to your children upwards of 8 years old. What distinguishes it from other works for the same age range is the authors rather demented sense of humour and perpetual small subversions that give away more about the world they're growing into than most people would be comfortable discussing or acknowledging. Which, if you're like me you're always eager to discuss and the book gives many introductions to topics that can easily expand into a cheerful evenings conversation....
The story focuses on 3 children - Violet, Klaus and Sunny, (AKA the Beaudelaire orphans), who were left without parents after a mysterious fire destroys their home, and the villainous Count Olaf, who attempts to possess himself of the Beaudelaires' fortune by various intrigues and adventures. While superficially very humourous, and written at an age level most younger children could easily understand, the books also offer many winks and nods to an older and more informed audience via asides from the narrator, Lemony Snicket.
Some quotes:
"For instance, as I crouch here behind the altar of the Cathedral of the Alleged Virgin...."
"The most important thing we do at the hospital is paperwork...."
And, of course, he scrupulously dissects such adages as: "Children should be seen and not heard" and "No News is Good News".
These quotes and topics above are but a very few of the many themes covered in book #8 - "The Hostile Hospital". Overall, these books are excellent, and I would recommend for children aged 8-14, although I've heard of adults who have read and quite enjoyed them as well.
Please note, that while the movie of the same name possessed characters of some resemblance, all qualities end there.
1 Legged Magpie and a full moon
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 2546
There's a stunning full moon rising above the houses across the street, the sun is almost set.
On the lawn there's a 1 legged magpie. He's been there, or thereabouts, since I moved in, over 3 months. At first the injury looked fresh, an accident, precariously balancing on one foot, flapping his wings to keep his balance. But the injury probably isn't fresh, certainly not any more, it's just the way he is, hopping across the lawn, digging through the leaves and grass looking for worms. I almost feel sorry for him, but he seems to be doing well, there are other magpies in the neighborhood, the 2 legged kind, they hang out, look out for him, certainly they're not shunning him as other species of birds might do, or pecking him to death, he appears to otherwise be in good health.
Which reminds me, I should get some bird seed & make suet to hang from the weeping birch on the lawn.
Christ Church - Rummage Sale
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 5397
6:30 PM and I'm in line at the Christ Church Rummage sale. It doesn't start until 7:00 PM, fortunately it's a warm night, and although I'm half an hour early, by the standards of this rummage sale I'm already late, there are about 30 people ahead of me, not a line, strictly, more of mass of people who've read the papers, seen the signs and are here, like me, to find some treasures.
I recognize a few of the Hillhurst flea market dealers, there's the Camera guy and his brother, another vendor with a stall of antiques, a couple of other dealers I recognize but can't place, a few die-hard garage salers and about a dozen strangers.
I'm here in hopes of a big score, perhaps a fine vintage watch, this rummage sale is one of three big ones that are held semi-annually throughout Calgary that attract crowds. The Samaritan Rummage sale in Hillhurst is a huge one, twice a year creating lineups of over 300 people. The Scarborough Church one is another, perhaps creating lines of 100. And half an hour early on a Friday night the line is growing behind me, up the hill, down the street, as more dealers and thrifters come and join the crowd.
People stamp their feet to keep warm, grandmas slowly edge their way forward into the line, when the doors open at 7:00 there will be a full-court press to get through the doors, each person to the room where their own objects of desire may be sold, my first hit will be the treasure room, down the hall and to the back, to quickly peruse the jewellry and search for men's watches. Camera guy and the antique dealer will be going there as well, but if I hustle I might beat them. From there a quick gad-about to see what else there might be, look at the pictures, the collectables, maybe some antique candlesticks, having moved into a new place a few months ago I find there's still things I'm missing, ...
The important thing is to be open...most often you won't find what you're looking for, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you just might find something better....
Volunteers for the church show up, one, two at a time, have to press through the crowd, knock on the door, give the password and then get admitted. The crowd gets a bit unruly, thinking these people are butting into line, worrying that they might get first dibs on treasures they want, some of the more vocal take advantage of the open door to plead their case, they want in out of the cold, they have other committments....
The volunteers have heard it all before. No one gets in early.
Finally it's 7:00, the crowd parts just enough to allow the doors to open, the volunteers back away from the tide that forces itself through, 4-5-6 abreast, into the church. It's a miracle none are trampled. God was never so popular as when he held a rummage sale.
When I get in I make my way first to the back room, already the old harridans and babushkas have the jewellry staked, I'm lucky, I recognise a thrifter in place at the table who passes me a box full of watches. A quick pick through, find those of interest, pass the box to my left, the antiques dealer got distracted on his way in and so loses out.....but I'll let him pick through and discover that....I scan the jewellry table for anything else of interest, and then on to the next area. If you're undecided you grab first, make up your mind later. Should you take a moment to appraise an item of interest chances are high someone will grab it from under your nose. Hold it while you make up your mind.
I'm out in half an hour, it gets claustrophobic this, the elbows flying, the swell and crush of people at the tables, and I've found my share of the treasures - an antique wooden toybox, $5.00, an antique pressed-glass lampshade - $2.00, 3 watches for a dollar each, none of any great merit, but for a dollar each I couldn't leave them behind. All in all, not a bad haul.
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