City tax hikes -- kiss goodbye to your fancy ped bridges

[BlackArcher101]

You want an argument that the cost of the ped bridge is way too high? I've got a nice number here... and it's local and over a large wide body of water. Only thing wrong with it is the number is a few years old.

I posted this in the earlier pedestrian bridge thread:

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...&postcount=125

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Had a friend contact his friend at the City of Lethbridge to find out the cost of the Pedestrian bridge over the river next to Whoop-Up drive.

Apparently it cost 1.2 million (yes, not 12) back in 2000ish. I would estimate that to be roughly 5mil in today's costs.

Now, that bridge isn't really an eyesore and has nothing going into the water but yet spans a great distance. At this point, you have to look at what the $25mil is going to get, and it's going to be moreso for the architects name in this case. This money could be used a lot more efficiently but still end up with close to the same result for cheaper. There's is no need for the "go big or go home" approach that some people have to these bridges. Hire a younger architect that wants to make a name for himself.

[simmonjam1]

nm

[simmonjam1]

I can guarantee you that inflation and rising costs are a huge reason for a tax increase. I can also guarantee you that private consultants / contractors are another source of high spending that can be cut down. Privatization of services would thus be contradictory to a reduction in private sector utilization.

A MUD tax is an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if something like that already exists.

I disagree that it would be contradictory. I believe you are looking at the scope incorrectly. High costs are associated to use private consultants and contractors as these individuals are contractors are functioning within a monopoly. They are already working within a poor work model.

Set quality standards and open services up to tender. Competition will drive the costs down. Garbage pick-up, street repair, the list is endless.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Muta

What bothers me is when you take what I say, twist it into your own argument without doing your proper clarification with me first, then post it on another forum and hide behind that, refusing to show here how you've twisted my words. Why couldn't you just have PM'ed me the fact that you were going to twist my words and put it on your blog? Huh?

* deleted *

I will defer our debate to another day. I am sure there will be other opportuinties to dissect city hall in the future.

[ken0042]

Just wanted to bump this thread to ask a question on point here.

Yesterday I received a notice in the mail that as of January 1st the amount withdrawn from my account on the TIPPs program would be going down. It's going down by 10.6%.

Did anybody else get such a notice? It just seems odd as I thought my taxes were staying about the same, and if we are facing a 9% increase next year; why not just lower my payments by 1%? That way I never really "see" the contoversial tax increase.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Just wanted to bump this thread to ask a question on point here.

Yesterday I received a notice in the mail that as of January 1st the amount withdrawn from my account on the TIPPs program would be going down. It's going down by 10.6%.

Did anybody else get such a notice? It just seems odd as I thought my taxes were staying about the same, and if we are facing a 9% increase next year; why not just lower my payments by 1%? That way I never really "see" the contoversial tax increase.

My property taxes went down, too... I was quite surprised, actually. I don't know much about the reasoning behind it, but perhaps its due to a recent market assessment of my property? Nevertheless, can't complain (about the savings, that is)!

[Red]

Originally Posted by Muta

My property taxes went down, too... I was quite surprised, actually. I don't know much about the reasoning behind it, but perhaps its due to a recent market assessment of my property? Nevertheless, can't complain (about the savings, that is)!

So what happens to those that pay their tax in full in June? Am I getting a refund?

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Simply blaming Bronco is lame and short sighted.

He is a weak mayor all around, but builders have been saying for a decade our prop taxes will explode because of the way we build (and demand) our city. All spralled out with a tiny density and requirement for a large amount of infrastructure.

Your simple broad brush condemnation shows how simple your thought process is on the issue. It's not accurate, but it would be MORE accurate to say anyone choosing to live in a full sized lot in the burbs are to blame.

Bronco is the man at the top. He gets paid the most of all the Alderman and he has the most prestigious role. Also his neo-ndp attitude was known well before the last civic election. Those who voted for him and didnt either think or know this are short sighted and part of the reason that voting shoudlnt be allowed as a privelage to all.

The pedestrian bridges from another thread are a perfect example of his leadership. He would rather propose a 10% city tax hike than to take the bridges out. To be honest I would have liked to see the bridges built as I would be a user of them daily, but not at the expense of a 10% tax hike especially when my bonus this year will likely be 1/2 of what it was previously and will be lucky to get one next year. That is life in the private sector, take less salary for the chance of a bonus.

As for about how Calgary builds. Its true, Calgary has a crack addiction to a house, rather than a highrise. But as mayor has he introduced one levee on sickening suburbs that take a 20min drive into downtown with no traffic? - no he hasnt. Again he is the top dog in this city, the buck, the blame, and the praise stop with him. To me a levee per house seems like a sensible way to for the city to build all these magically needed fire departments, police stations, and rec centres for these burbs without increasing property taxes, yet has Bronco ever once brought this up.

To blame people for purchasing available homes in Calgary might be the oddest thing I have ever read on this forum. People who purchase in the burbs know the situation, its up to the City to either profit from their desire to own land rather than air or at the very least recoup the costs of that decision and not to pass those costs on to people who chose to forgoe owning land and instead own "air".

The City with Bronco as the mayor are to blame for the sprawl.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Red

So what happens to those that pay their tax in full in June? Am I getting a refund?

Yeah, I'm not sure... I'm on the TIPP plan, and it said starting Jan. 1, my property taxes go down... my guess is it's based on market value of your property; if yours went down, you should be getting some sort of relief in the way that I did. It's not much, but still... it went down.

[ken0042]

I don't think it has to do with property values going down; as everybody in the city had their property values go down. The whole "taxes tied to property value" thing is to determine who owes how much- so the guy with the $6M house in McKenzie pays more than the guy with the $200K shack in Forest Lawn. If the property values go down they still each owe the same.

I think there was something before about certain neighbourhoods going into different tax brackets- none of it made any sense as my neighbourhood which is still new and being built went down, and other neighbourhoods that don't need as much infastructure work went up.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I don't think it has to do with property values going down; as everybody in the city had their property values go down. The whole "taxes tied to property value" thing is to determine who owes how much- so the guy with the $6M house in McKenzie pays more than the guy with the $200K shack in Forest Lawn. If the property values go down they still each owe the same.

I think there was something before about certain neighbourhoods going into different tax brackets- none of it made any sense as my neighbourhood which is still new and being built went down, and other neighbourhoods that don't need as much infastructure work went up.

Yes, this is probably right... makes more sense.

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Just wanted to bump this thread to ask a question on point here.

Yesterday I received a notice in the mail that as of January 1st the amount withdrawn from my account on the TIPPs program would be going down. It's going down by 10.6%.

Did anybody else get such a notice? It just seems odd as I thought my taxes were staying about the same, and if we are facing a 9% increase next year; why not just lower my payments by 1%? That way I never really "see" the contoversial tax increase.

I received it too, but read the notice differently.

Instead of it being one amount for the first half of the year and then another amount for the rest of the year, they've decided to split the tax bill by 12 months and have you pay the same amount for the whole year. It really won't make much of a difference to the total amount you pay, only that they're playing games by saying "it will be easier to budget", whatever that means.

[megatron]

Mine went down as well, only by $5/month though. I live in a condo, so the adjustment would be less than if I lived in a single family home.

[Incinerator]

how about instead of worrying about $300 a year we start worrying about NEP II and our spot in the EI line? I can't believe $300 a year has generated this much discussion for a whole month given the current crisis in Ottawa...

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Incinerator

how about instead of worrying about $300 a year we start worrying about NEP II and our spot in the EI line? I can't believe $300 a year has generated this much discussion for a whole month given the current crisis in Ottawa...

This is 6 pages via currently 56 and rising.

I was never the greates at math, but my math says 56 > 6

[ken0042]

^^ Plus the fact that 5.5 of the 6 pages happened prior to the current federal crisis.

I think Incinerator simply didn't notice that, and thought we had been hashing this out today.

[Incinerator]

Originally Posted by ken0042

^^ Plus the fact that 5.5 of the 6 pages happened prior to the current federal crisis.

I think Incinerator simply didn't notice that, and thought we had been hashing this out today.

I did notice most of it was from before, just noticed the bump today and found it odd people are still getting worked up over this compared to the much bigger problem at hand...

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Incinerator

I did notice most of it was from before, just noticed the bump today and found it odd people are still getting worked up over this compared to the much bigger problem at hand...

Sorry, havent gotten a letter, but I had to respond to someone who called out my opinion.