2018 Property Tax

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by rain_e

Completely voluntary I agree. I'm not sure how you go about putting this on the parents when I assume they don't have the money.

As for necessary spending my wife spends money on additional school supplies for the kids and books as teaching aids. Again these are voluntary. She could just use the chalk supplied by the school I guess. I'm guessing she spends about $1000 a year on these items.

Its a systematic problem then, and there are probably better ways to help parents that are falling behind then teachers having to spend their own money on it, and there are programs for that out there.


The argument is that teachers are spending this money to buy things that the school isn't providing so that teachers can fulfil their end of the job description, but that's not necessarily true.


There's absolutely nothing wrong with being generous or donating, but you can't use that as part of a debate that teachers are spending personal funds to do the job that is defined for them.


I just want to know what is voluntary and what are teachers spending that the school isn't providing them that they have to have.


Buying clothes for a student isn't the job of a teacher, and not to sound ruthless, but if parents are having trouble with providing essentials to their kids then that's a whole bigger problem and how much are you really helping them by buying their kids lunch or buying them clothes? It feels like a bandaid and not a solution.


I'm not begrudging someones kind nature, in a sense I respect it, but I don't know if its the best solution.


And it feels like a loaded argument when someone says We have to spend $1000.00 a year out of our pocket to do our job. That's not really true. What's the real figure?

[Mr.Coffee]

Teachers should make money and I'm in favour of paying more than average and giving pensions, benefits and vacation. I'm in favour of smaller class sizes and supporting teachers because we are all getting a front row seat into what skimming investment on education gets you and that is whatever is happening on Vancouver Island and more obviously the United States in general.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by rain_e

Liquor. Teachers like to drink. Teachers husband's prefer scotch specifically.

So a bottle of Teacher’s for the teachers?

[malcolmk14]

Just to chip in, I spend about $150-200 of my own money a year as a teacher, and none of that is on necessary items to execute my job. It's always on extras or "nice-to-haves". I could absolutely perform my job to the same standard without taking money out of my own pocket.

Anything that is required, my school generously provides. There are ample professional resources and equipment. I have a large student supply budget at the beginning of every year which is topped up halfway through the year by our wonderfully involved School Council. I spend every penny of it on things the students consume.

All that being said...

There are SO many schools out there that are not fortunate in the way that mine is. Talking to other teachers and even having come from teaching at a school in a less privileged neighbourhood, the conditions that some teachers have to work in are absolutely dismal. I am tremendously lucky to be in the position I am in.

As far as some of the comments go about teachers buying clothes for underprivileged kids and whatnot, good for them, really, I say that sincerely. They are amazing, caring people and I applaud them for trying to make a difference for that family. Personally, I would be doing everything I could to refer that family to the appropriate agencies to get the help they need. I would be pushing my administration to help with financial relief for field trips, etc., I would be putting that families name forward for a Christmas basket or some other kind of charitable help. I'd be sitting down with those parents on a regular basis doing whatever I can to help support them. However, I would absolutely not be taking money out of my own pocket to dress someone's kid properly. That's just so far beyond my responsibility. But I can totally see how some teachers take that on and personally invest in having those kids feel safe and comfortable at school. They are amazing people.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Its a systematic problem then, and there are probably better ways to help parents that are falling behind then teachers having to spend their own money on it, and there are programs for that out there.


The argument is that teachers are spending this money to buy things that the school isn't providing so that teachers can fulfil their end of the job description, but that's not necessarily true.


There's absolutely nothing wrong with being generous or donating, but you can't use that as part of a debate that teachers are spending personal funds to do the job that is defined for them.


I just want to know what is voluntary and what are teachers spending that the school isn't providing them that they have to have.


Buying clothes for a student isn't the job of a teacher, and not to sound ruthless, but if parents are having trouble with providing essentials to their kids then that's a whole bigger problem and how much are you really helping them by buying their kids lunch or buying them clothes? It feels like a bandaid and not a solution.


I'm not begrudging someones kind nature, in a sense I respect it, but I don't know if its the best solution.


And it feels like a loaded argument when someone says We have to spend $1000.00 a year out of our pocket to do our job. That's not really true. What's the real figure?

I would guess the actual number for "required items" would be maybe a few hundred per year? My wife teaches high school, and needs a new graphing calculator every few years (inevitably one of the kids breaks it somehow...). Add to that whiteboard markers that actually work and few other office supply type stuff she's pretty consistently at a couple hundred bucks a year for stuff I'd consider "job necessity" items. It is tax deductible though, which is nice.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I would guess the actual number for "required items" would be maybe a few hundred per year? My wife teaches high school, and needs a new graphing calculator every few years (inevitably one of the kids breaks it somehow...). Add to that whiteboard markers that actually work and few other office supply type stuff she's pretty consistently at a couple hundred bucks a year for stuff I'd consider "job necessity" items. It is tax deductible though, which is nice.

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

We spend several thousand, per year. After tax.

And it isn't for lavish things.

We are talking basics like pencils, paper, food, classroom materials, etc.

Bizaro86's wife is claiming these supplies, so it looks like you could do that as well, IliketoPuck. Also, it seems like you're spending at least 10x what other teachers are spending. Hopefully your estimate was off, but if not, yikes. At the very least, you need to be keeping your receipts and logging your spending so you can claim it.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Bizaro86's wife is claiming these supplies, so it looks like you could do that as well, IliketoPuck. Also, it seems like you're spending at least 10x what other teachers are spending. Hopefully your estimate was off, but if not, yikes. At the very least, you need to be keeping your receipts and logging your spending so you can claim it.

The limit for the deduction is $1000/year

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ax-credit.html

Incidentally, anyone who has mandatory expenses associated with their work can claim them for taxes. But your employer will need to fill out form 2200 for you. Teachers get an exemption from some of the paperwork on the first $1000 of a claim, but the rules aren't really that different.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...nses-2016.html

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Slava

I know this is the property tax thread, but I don’t where else to ask this. What do people do for year end gifts for their child’s teachers?

My wife always seems to appreciate the coffee gift cards.

I'd steer away from the ceramic apple that says "A+ Teacher" on it...

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Bizaro86's wife is claiming these supplies, so it looks like you could do that as well, IliketoPuck. Also, it seems like you're spending at least 10x what other teachers are spending. Hopefully your estimate was off, but if not, yikes. At the very least, you need to be keeping your receipts and logging your spending so you can claim it.

Hmm.

Looks like I'll need to really do that forensic sleuthing. My wife's school is one of the underprivileged ones in a lower socioeconomic area of the city. Extra funding from the community isn't really an option.

Certainly, some of the things we purchase are not requirements. But many of them seem that way.

Locke - as the accountant on here, do you know if I can retroactively claim for prior years?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

Hmm.

Looks like I'll need to really do that forensic sleuthing. My wife's school is one of the underprivileged ones in a lower socioeconomic area of the city. Extra funding from the community isn't really an option.

Certainly, some of the things we purchase are not requirements. But many of them seem that way.

Locke - as the accountant on here, do you know if I can retroactively claim for prior years?

Only an amendment to you 2018 taxes I believe as that was when the official program was introduced. I'll double check.

But there are other ways of potentially claiming those, but you're not likely going to get the paperwork from the CBE and you're begging for an audit if the numbers you're talking about are anywhere near accurate.

But it can be done. You could likely get something.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by troutman

Councillors unanimously pass 10 per cent commercial property tax cut

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...usiness-owners

Haven't seen Nenshi even talk about this versus his usual social media spam. He was absolutely against this but no comment now?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1138093425914335240

https://twitter.com/user/status/1138118874400845824

https://twitter.com/user/status/1138298452981428224

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Carra gets into with him on that last tweet and is pretty much right. What the hell is Braid doing here? Is he running for something? There's absolutely nothing wrong, not even abnormal, about a question period for anyone who speaks to council.

[Locke]

Heres the thing.

Teachers dont have to spend their own money on anything. Literally. They do not have to.

Which is why its tough to find commensurate ways to reimburse them when they do.

Because technically the state provides the resources that teachers require to do their jobs and if a teacher feels that the state isnt supplying enough and chooses to do more then thats on them.

Then asking to be reimbursed implies that the state was insufficient or didnt fulfill their duties so of course, they are reluctant to comply.

The thing is, initially, teaching is a calling. My daughter just became a teacher and she didnt do it for the hours, or the pension, or the pay or the benefits. It was just something she felt she could do well and shes going to do exceptionally well.

But unfortunately, people who are passionate have a tendency to be among the first destroyed by the Bureaucratic Meat Grinder.

[IliketoPuck]

^ Totally agree.

I've had that exact discussion numerous times.

We've reached a point where I think the meat grinder is starting to take a toll, and I'm wondering how much longer it will be until enough is enough.

At this point I'd be surprised if my wife continues long enough to make it to retirement as a teacher. But who knows.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

^ Totally agree.

I've had that exact discussion numerous times.

We've reached a point where I think the meat grinder is starting to take a toll, and I'm wondering how much longer it will be until enough is enough.

At this point I'd be surprised if my wife continues long enough to make it to retirement as a teacher. But who knows.

Heres the thing. I dont hate teachers or City workers or even people in Unions.

I dont envy them, I dont want what they have and I dont covet their lives.

But as an independent business person and something of an armchair Economist (with a few University classes under my belt) I firmly believe that the system under which these people operate is far from stable.

So we have a choice. We either acknowledge that instability and work together to come to a mutually acceptable and stable solution or.....we plow head-first into the void where a bunch of good-natured people are going to get royally screwed.

I promote the former. And as such get branded a crazy extremist with insanely Conservative views.

Which I am not.

But the fact of the matter, and we can see this in Public pensions, Property Taxes, various other taxes, whatever you want, but the current model is unsustainable and will fail.

Now. When it fails do we want 'Scramble' or 'Plan?'

[IliketoPuck]

I fully understand (and agree with you, Locke). The demographies we face, and the issues that are imposed by them are significant and need to be addressed.

My household is home to many an interesting debate on social and economic policy, let me assure you....orange team in one corner, blue in the other.

To elaborate on one of your points, government DB pensions are the biggest problem. The assumptions behind them need to be changed.

But here's the kicker.

The easiest way to change those assumptions, thus changing the viability of the plan, is to increase the age of eligibility for pensioners.

The largest voting block in history is in the process of retiring, or is already retired. The majority of that voting block has done a woeful job of actually saving for retirement.

Touching pension age eligibility is as surefire as political suicide gets.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

I fully understand (and agree with you, Locke). The demographies we face, and the issues that are imposed by them are significant and need to be addressed.

My household is home to many an interesting debate on social and economic policy, let me assure you....orange team in one corner, blue in the other.

To elaborate on one of your points, government DB pensions are the biggest problem. The assumptions behind them need to be changed.

But here's the kicker.

The easiest way to change those assumptions, thus changing the viability of the plan, is to increase the age of eligibility for pensioners.

The largest voting block in history is in the process of retiring, or is already retired. The majority of that voting block has done a woeful job of actually saving for retirement.

Touching pension age eligibility is as surefire as political suicide gets.

I totally agree, to extend that, the next demographic bubble will only be closer to that sweet, sweet golden goose by the time the boomers are all out of the way. I have my doubts on whether a 55 year old, nearing that golden handshake is about to set himself back another decade out of the goodness of his heart!