Quote:
Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois
I dunno. If your income tax went up 100% or more each decade, regardless of your earnings, would that be a symptom of becoming a big country?
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Your income tax IS up WELL over 100% in the last decade!
Say your income tax rate is ~40%. If you made 35,000 in 1998 and make 70,000 in 2008 (Very reasonable in Alberta for an employee going from 30 years old to 40 years old in a career, with our economy. Less skilled likely went from $24,000 to $48,000) then your taxes went from $14,000 to $28,000 - without even considering you are now likely in a higher tax bracket.
(I know you said 'regardless of your income' but nothing is 'regardless', no more than it can be 'regardless of inflation' or 'regardless of home price growth' etc.)
If your property taxes were $1200 in 1998 and rose at 5% per year (and i believe it has been less than that) then your 2008 taxes would be $1960, LESS than your income tax growth.
Further though is that the city (arguably) offers more services you actually use than any other level of government, but has the least power to increase revenues AND has had the highest inflation rate in services they do provide.
Plus the province takes HALF the property taxes!
No comparison - if you want to complain there are plenty of better options....
Claeren.