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For all of these "tory years" we have been mantra'd to death with "There is only one taxpayer!" In other words it does not make any difference to whom taxes are paid: only the total amount of taxes matter. By popular definition a tax is the money paid to a government agency or level of government for whatever reason. At least that's the way it was P.H. (pre-Harris). Now there is a slight distinction, a user fee that used to be a tax before 1995 is now a "co-payment" and is not now a user fee. Confused, so are the rest of us.
But let's simplify it. There is only one taxpayer, that means we do not care who we pay tax to, only how much. Got it? Any money paid to government whatever level is a tax. Why am I being such a bore and riding this one trick pony? Elementary, if there is only one tax payer therefore it corresponds that there should be only one owner of public assets: US. Does it make any difference if Public Utilities, Municipalities or Conservation Authorities own the public assets? Surely not, if public money bought and paid for an asset there is only one owner …. the taxpayer!
Taking this argument one stage further if we own all the public assets why should we have to pay twice and buy our own land back? For example if the County of Northumberland was a wise steward of the public interest and many years ago purchased private land for public purposes, with public money, the County was then looking out for the citizens of the County for unknown future needs. Now in the year 2000 a public agency, entirely funded by tax money (the Hospital), needs land why should we, the taxpayers, have to buy from the County what we (the public) already own?
I have been a student of public affairs for many years and I have yet to find a satisfactory answer to the question. In the failed amalgamation talks between Hamilton Township and Cobourg one of the issues that never had to be settled was a payment to Ontario Hydro from the Cobourg PUC for the rural electrical distribution system. When it was questioned "Why should we have to buy what we already own?" the answer given was that it was a policy of Ontario Hydro's. That answer was unacceptable to me then just as the present situation at the County is today. By the way it isn't just the County that is pulling this trick. The Province owns the Northam industrial park by virtue of a transfer from the Federal government, the land used to be a military installation. Cobourg had to pay $47.000 for the Legion fields land and rumours abound about new negotiations going on for more land in that area for a new arena site.
However there is a precedent for common sense. When the Ganaraska Regional Conservation Authority established Rotary Park, now James Cockburn Park, in the early 1970s, the land was purchased from the County for $1.00: public land transferred from one public agency to another. Why is that not happening now? It is suspected that certain county politicians will do anything to spite the building of a new hospital and are using the site as a bargaining tool and the others are still insisting on full value for the taxpayers.
Either way big people make big gestures, and until it is proven otherwise I believe that the despicable practice of making taxpayers pay more than once for their own assets is bound to continue ….. pity!
What
a ripoff!!