토론토 재산세 향후 6년간 8% 인상 Toronto votes to increase property taxes by 8 per cent over 6 years

토론토 시의회에서재산세를 크게 인상하는 안을 통과시켰다. 의회는 자금 지원을받지 않는 대중 교통 및 주택 프로젝트 비용을 지불하기 위해 향후 6 년 동안 세금을 8 % 인상하기 위해 찬성 21, 반대 3으로 통과시켰다. 재산세에 대한 부과 된 인상은 2015 년 Tory가 처음 도입 한 도시 건설 기금에 도움이 될 것이며, 이를 활용하여 66 억 달러를 빌릴 수 있게 되었다. Tory는이 기금이 TTC 자본 공사에 200 억 달러 이상의 지원을 할 것이며, 새로운 10 년 주택 계획에 필요한 30 억 달러도 화요일 의회에서 승인 될 것이라고 밝혔다.

Two of the city’s most fiscally conservative councillors stood up in the council chamber on Tuesday and made the case for significantly raising property taxes. One was Mayor John Tory’s budget chief, Coun. Gary Crawford (Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest), the other his deputy mayor.

“I am supporting the mayor’s initiatives. He has a mandate to move forward with two particular items, housing . . . and transit and I recognize that those things can’t be fully funded with the resources that we have,” said Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 16 Don Valley East).

It was what one councillor said he hoped was a “turning point” in the city’s history when it comes to talking about taxes. It comes at the end of a decade that saw incredible turmoil during the era of former mayor Rob Ford, who declared there was a “gravy train” at city hall waiting to be found and led a decline in the amount the city spends on its residents.

At Tory’s urging Tuesday, council voted 21 to 3 to increase taxes by eight per cent over the next six years in order to pay for unfunded transit and housing projects. Councillors Michael Ford (Ward 1 Etobicoke North), Stephen Holyday (Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre) and Anthony Perruzza (Ward 7 Humber River—Black Creek) voted against the increases.

The increased levy on property taxes will benefit what’s called the city building fund, first introduced by Tory in 2015.

The increases will allow the city to borrow $6.6 billion. Tory has said those funds will go toward the more than $20 billion backlog in TTC capital works and the $3 billion in city investments required under a new 10-year housing plan also set to be approved at council Tuesday.

By Jennifer PagliaroCity Hall Bureau   Tues., Dec. 17, 2019