School Tax Bills Higher for Anglos
Published by Victor Belleville on 2010-07-19
by KAREN SEIDMAN
When school tax bills went out recently, homeowners affiliated with the English-language Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board found themselves paying a higher tax rate.
Laurier board chairperson Steve Bletas said yesterday he's furious that the government has done nothing to correct the situation.
"It's almost discriminatory," he said. "The English are paying more and the French are paying less."
He said the reason behind the inequality is that the Commission scolaire de Laval exceeded the maximum amount of tax revenue it can collect and, subsequently, was able to lower its rate to about 30 cents per $100 home evaluation. Sir Wilfrid Laurier's rate has been set by the Education Department at 35 cents per $100 evaluation.
The Education Department sets a maximum amount school boards can keep from taxation. Those whose tax base is less than that amount are given an equalization grant to make up the difference, but in order to receive the grant the board must tax at the maximum rate of 35 cents. But boards with a tax base above that amount -such as the Commission scolaire de Laval -must reduce their rate so as to collect no more than the maximum tax allowed.
The board has sent a letter to Laval taxpayers apologizing for the situation and promising to keep pursuing it.
Although Bletas said the government has refused to do anything to equalize the situation, an aide to Education Minister Michelle Courchesne said yesterday that the matter is still being studied.
"I can't say when an answer will come," said Cedrick Beauregard, adding that school tax rates are based on a formula that takes into account many factors, such as size of territory, transportation, number of schools and number of students.
Bletas said there was a smaller discrepancy between the two boards' tax rates last summer, which the government corrected. He said he believes it's only fair for the ministry to take similar action this year.
"This is going to really hit hard," Bletas said. "Neighbours will wonder why they are paying more taxes than the guy next door."
The situation could be exacerbated by the fact that people who have a choice of which school board they want to be affiliated with might begin to choose the French-language board, which could further erode Sir Wilfrid Laurier's tax base.
Anyone with children in school must pay taxes to the board they attend. But other Quebecers can choose the local board they want -and Bletas figures Sir Wilfrid Laurier's higher taxes aren't going to be too appealing.
For example, for a house valued at $400,000, taxes to the French board would be $969, but for the English board the amount would be $1,171 -a difference of $202.
Laval resident Sylvain Frechette, who is chairperson of the governing board at English-language St. Vincent elementary school, said it makes no sense to him that all taxpayers don't pay the same.
On the island of Montreal, a central body regulates the tax for all boards.
Frechette said his in-laws have elected to pay school taxes to the English board because it's where their grandchildren go, but he wouldn't be surprised if they switched to the French board, along with a lot of other people.
"I realize it's probably just math, but the principle behind it isn't fair," Frechette said.
