REALTY TAXES:
- Less reliance on Property Taxes as the main source of revenue and a shift to alternate sources of revenue
- Compare the percentage of total revenue generated by property taxes in Winnipeg to other cities.
- Shift from property taxes to user pay as a source of revenue
- Deal with issue of non-residents of Winnipeg using city infrastructure and services at reduced cost.
- Deal with shifting demographics within the city
- Concept of a minimum and maximum property tax on residential properties to allocate costs more equitably and help reduce the number of higher end homes being built outside the perimeter for reasons of tax savings
- School tax portion of tax bill should be removed from property tax bill. This includes the education support levy.
- Equality between the city and the other municipalities – 80% of the dollars come from Winnipeg but only 65% are spent here.
PROPERTY ASSESSMENT:
- Must be more accurate, timely and equitable
- Lack of consistency
- Lack of credibility
LEADERSHIP
- Role of the Province
- Ownership of the capital region problem
- Recognition of the special needs to the city and the capital region
Role of the City:
- Making Winnipeg competitive to other cities and encouraging our young people to stay here and business to relocate here.
- Does the city actually encourage growth of business – are we really “open for business?
- Business tax
- Zoning
- Tax assessment
- Attitude
CAPITAL REGION
- An overall plan must be developed taking into account the needs of the City of Winnipeg as well as the outlying municipalities.
- The Province must take a leadership role in developing this strategy and must take ownership of the process.
- This process must be an open and accessible one to enable all the participants to buy into the process and the results.
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE INNER CITY
- Review zoning and codes with a view to allowing mixed use of buildings and to encourage sustainable development in the inner city, particularly in the Market Square and Exchange areas.
- Encourage the insurance industry to allow core area owners to opt for insurance based on market value rather than replacement cost.
- Funds must be allocated for infrastructure maintenance and repair, particularly roads and sewers. They must not come from property taxes but other user pay methods such as a gas tax.
RENT CONTROL
- Support the Professional Property Managers Association (PPMA) in its position that the Provincial Government should make changes in the rent control legislation to allow voluntary vacated units to be removed from rent control guidelines.