Tax the poor seems to be the intention of Trenton mayor Shannon MacInnis, and the majority of council. There is a bit of opposition at the meetings, but they are downplaying it. They mailed out an information sheet last week. It showed that a householder with a $100,000 assessment would pay $148 less tax, while someone with a $50,000 assessment would be required to pay $105 more. Mayor MacInnis claims this is to "make the system more fair." Hardly. Mayor MacInnis have you ever seen a tax table? Wealthy people are supposed to pay more tax. The less fortunate are unable to do so.
I telephoned one of the councillors recently to express my concern. He told me there won't be significant tax increases, as described in the info sheet. So, I went to the town office and checked on next year’s rates for a house assessed in the 50,000 range. I was shown that the householder would be required to pay an extra $128.63 next year. A pretty big jump, and yet people with more expensive housing will be paying less.
I would like to know what Mayor MacInnis (and the pro tax-change councillors) pay in taxes, and how their rates will be impacted by the change. Maybe they believe easing their tax burden is what makes it fair?
Ironically, at the town office, there was a stack of papers listing town properties to be sold for unpaid taxes. If this tax bill passes, I expect there will be more town properties on future lists.
Bill Ross
Trenton
