Agreed.
Debates of Feb. 12th, 1998
Topics
Committee Motion 12-13(5): That Maca Coordinate A Comprehensive Community Development Training Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
Some Hon. Members
Committee Motion 12-13(5): That Maca Coordinate A Comprehensive Community Development Training Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, very much. Page 4-29, detail of grants and contributions, total grants, $4.499 million. Mr. Erasmus.
Committee Motion 12-13(5): That Maca Coordinate A Comprehensive Community Development Training Program
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, in the area of senior citizens and disabled property taxes, I had, again, questioned the Minister on the fact senior citizens are not being treated equally in some tax-based communities. Some tax-based municipalities are placing a ceiling on the tax relief which is available to seniors. Whereas, it might be that some seniors, because they have an expensive home, some of those seniors may have a lot of money, but in many cases, seniors do not have a lot of money because they do not have access to a big pension or RRSPs or that type of thing.
Committee Motion 13-13(5): To Implement A Means Test For Senior Citizens Unable To Afford Property Taxes
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs take the necessary steps to ensure that a means test, similar to that used to implement the seniors' fuel subsidy, is introduced to ensure that senior citizens eligible to benefit under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act and who cannot afford to pay taxes, do not pay taxes as a result of ceilings that tax-based municipalities may place on the available tax relief.
Committee Motion 13-13(5): To Implement A Means Test For Senior Citizens Unable To Afford Property Taxes
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. The motion is written and distributed to Members of the committee and is translated. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Total grants, $4.499 million. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 13-13(5): To Implement A Means Test For Senior Citizens Unable To Afford Property Taxes
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the senior citizen and disabled property tax, I did raise this issue earlier in the budget and also with the Department of Finance to find a way that they can work out some system so that the elders do not have to apply every year for this tax rebate. I will be moving a motion to that effect.
Committee Motion 13-13(5): To Implement A Means Test For Senior Citizens Unable To Afford Property Taxes
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Are you ready to make a motion now?
Committee Motion 13-13(5): To Implement A Means Test For Senior Citizens Unable To Afford Property Taxes
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 765
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
I move that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in cooperation with the Department of Finance and the Municipalities take steps to streamline the property tax subsidy for seniors and disabled persons to improve the process for applying and receiving this tax benefit.
And further that consideration be given to not having a requirement for seniors and disabled persons to reapply each year for the tax relief.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The motion is in order. It is written and it is translated. To the motion. Mr. Miltenberger, you have your hand up. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Total grants. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, thank you. I noticed under NWT Association of Municipal Administrators, the grant to the association has been reduced from $130,000 to $5,000. Actually last year, the revised forecast was from $130,000 down to $5,000. Mr. Chairman, this seems to have some relation to the motion Mr. Erasmus put on the floor, whereby providing training to municipal administrators. I was wondering, why we are reducing their grants?
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. The area that Mr. Steen is referring to is on page 4-29 under the NWT Association of Municipalities, municipal administrators. Madam Ballantyne.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Ballantyne
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the reason that amount has shifted is the department is now contracting with the Association of Municipal Administrators for the delivery of the advanced SAO training course rather than providing that through a contribution. The funding is still there. It is just not showing up where it used to. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Madam Ballantyne. Total grants, $4.4 million. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me, under home owners' property tax rebates, when we removed that, I do not see any amounts there at all for a homeowners' property tax rebate. I presume this program is eliminated. I would like to point out here that I believe this would have resolved the motion or the tax rebate would have addressed the concern Mr. Erasmus brought forward as far as senior citizens being unable to pay over and above the subsidies supplied to seniors and disabled persons. It shows here in tax-based communities, they would have been eligible for $300 each, and in small communities these seniors would have been eligible for $75 each. Did we cut that out?
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we did. We cut it out. Thank you.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to point out that this reduction of the property tax rebate has resolved the problem that Mr. Erasmus made a motion on. Since we cannot increase the budget, I do not know how we are going to find money for Mr. Erasmus' motion unless we take it out of somewhere else. I would like to ask the department, what was the reason for taking the home owners' property tax rebate? What was the reason for doing away with it?
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 11th, 1998
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It was part of the Deficit Elimination Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Total Grants, $4.499 million. Do we agree on this page?
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Contributions, page 4-31. We have 32 and 33, total contributions, $59.017 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 14-13(5): To Streamline The Process For Applying And Receiving The Property Tax Subsidy
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 766
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.