Assisting Seniors at no cost to Taxpayers!!!!
Many lower income homeowners struggle with the costs of maintaining their dwellings. The Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Program would allow a municipality to delay the collection of property taxes until a homeowner sells or transfers ownership of his/her property. This would enable some citizens to remain in their own homes rather than having to enter subsidized housing projects.
Len believes the Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral should be implemented across Canada which would assist seniors in need, in our provinces and territories. The Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Program is revenue neutral so it will not add to the tax burden of Canadians.
In 2009, Len moved the motions below at St. Albert City Council.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association request that the Government of Alberta provide a property tax deferment program to eligible Albertan home owners experiencing financial hardship, administered on a province-wide basis, similar to the program offered by the Province of British Columbia; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association request that the Government of Alberta ensure that municipalities are compensated for the amount of lost property tax revenue due to property tax deferral arrangements in their jurisdiction, either through an amendment to the Alberta Municipal Government Act or through direct compensation to municipalities.
The motions were forwarded by St. Albert City Council to the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and to Seniors United Now (SUN) via Dick Tansey.
Dick Tansey (SUN) worked with other interested parties and MLA George Vander Burg. MLA Vander Burg introduced a Private Member’s Bill 207 (Senior Property Tax Deferment Act) in May, 2011. This bill was passed to MLA Jablonski on November 28, 2011 as MLA VanderBurg became Minister of Seniors.
Bill 207 passed second reading on December 5, 2011 supported by all parties but died on the order paper at the end of the fall session of the legislature.
Bill 5, the Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Act was introduced in the spring session of the Legislative Assembly. Bill 5 passed third reading on March 20, 2012, received Royal Assent on March 21, 2012 and will go into effect in Alberta in 2013.
As Senator, Len will work closely with the provinces and territories to enable the Senior Property Tax Deferral Program to be implemented across Canada to assist seniors in need.
