10 - Friday, May 17, 1991 - North Shore News District resident alarmed by rise in property taxes A DISABLED North Vancouver with North Vancouver District fighting a lone battle District resident is Council and the provincial government over what she says are the rising property taxes and eroding municipal services in her Beaver Road neighborhood. “They’ve trebled since nine years ago,”* Janet Siebert, 62, said of her property taxes. ‘‘It’s terri- ble.’”” Her taxes were $800 in 1980 and $2,250 in 1990. The last assessed value of the house and property on Beaver Road is $212,000. The assessmients are done by the B.C. Assessment Authority. The 21-year resident, who is on a fixed income and shares her home with her two children, led a delegation to council in 1985. She asked council members at the time to ‘address the long overdue question of skyrocketing assess- ments and property taxes for peo- ple on fixed incomes.’’ “Despite (then) Mayor Baker’s efforts on our behalf, speaking out at every opportunity, no ac- tion was taken until fast year when some flexibility was given the district to implement...a tax on improvement or a flat tax,”’ Siebert wrote in a Feb. 21, 1991 letter to North Van- couver-Capilano MLA Angus Ree. “We were advised by Mr. Couvelier that this would iron out some inequities in our tax system.”” In January, Siebert was directed to talk to Michael Hoskin, direc- . tor of financial services for the district. Siebert said Hoskin told her the proposed systems would provide relief for the wealthy but not the lower-income people. “I'm — sick and tired of this game,’ she said. ‘‘Nothing the provincial government will do will ever filter down to the peopie who deserve relief and that is simply unconscionable.”” But Hoskin said implementing the taxation methods suggested by Siebert wouid create problems. “It is an option for the district and one we’Si be looking at, al- though people have to understand a flat tax has the impact of mov- ing everyone toward an average, something I don’t think Mrs. Siebert understands,’’ Hoskin said. He said that with an average rate, those paying less than average now would be paying more while those paying more than average now would end up paying less. Under the tax systems, a flat rate would be levied on all pro- perties and then any improve- ments made to the property would add more tax to the base rate. Siebert has appealed her assessment with the provincial Assessment Appeal Board. She wants to have the amount rolled back to 1985 levels. But she can- not get to the board’s office in Maple Ridge because she is dis- abled. Walking is difficult because she also has a broken leg. In a Jan. 16 letter to the board, Siebert asked for a rollback of her assessment to its 1985 value. She says at that value, she can afford the taxation rates. Under the assessment board’s rules of practice and procedure, application for an appeal must Wilo Correction The Computerized Wheel Baiance Section in our North Shore News ad May 15th “Car- Care” displayed a starburst show- ing a price of $69.95 ea, GST in- cluded. The starburst & price were from a previous special and should not have been in this ad. We apologise for any inconve- nience this may have caused. By Jeremy Hainsworth Contributing Writer comply with the requirements of the Assessment Act and an appeal may be disallowed if the appeal does not meet those requirements. At the hearing, the appellant may appear or be represented by counsel or an agent. In her letter, Siebert said: ‘‘We are alone and in dire straits and cannot in any way meet the appeal rules and regulations. This letter is the only way we are able to appeal our 1991 property assessments.”° Being over 60, Seibert is eligible for the provincial land tax defer- ment program. It allows home- owners to defer all or part of their taxes. The deferred amount and It's going to be a super weekend at Zellers - with fantastic values throughout the store, FREE interest are secured by a lien against the property. But Seibert says the program is “*money grabbing’’ and refuses to use it. She is also concerned that her area is not receiving its fair share of basic services from the district. Her major concerns are the water, which she says contains large amounts of silt, and the condition of area roads, par- ticularly Beaver and Prospect. But said North Vancouver District Mayor Murray Dykeman regarding the condition of Beaver Road, ‘Certainly the work that Craig (former alderman Craig Clark) and I did (aldermen) and the traffic and safety committee both felt that the first thing we needed to do was to ensure clear driveways and to eliminate the ic- ing because of the steepness. I think the focus has been on these issues. “*But to create a modern Street was certainly not the objective.’ THE CORPORATION GF THE DISTRICT OF WEST VANCOUVER 750 - 17TH STREET, WEST VANCOUVER, BC. V7V 313 PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SPRINKLING RESTRICTION NOTICE The Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 3543, 1989 allows the Municipality to set the days and hours for sprinkling. The sprinkling regulations are effective from May 15 to September 15. Sprinkling is permitted as follows: Even numbered properties on Even Calendar Days. Off numbered properties on Odd Calendar Days. Hours: 8:00 A.M. to 1:00 PM. 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 PRM. Persons failing to comply with the regulations of this bylaw shall be liable to the penalties under the Offence Act. CLUB Z points with just about every purchase, and a chance to SHOP FOR FREE! Yes, you could win the value of the purchases you make one day this weekend in Zellers gift certificates - to be used to get just about anything you want at Zellers! To enter, just fillin your name, phone number and the total amount of the purchases you make on Saturday, May 18 or Sunday, May 19 on the contest entry form provided at our store. There will be a winner at every participating Zellers! Visit Zellers for more details and remembez...... the more you shop, the more you could get for free! We are open Victoria Day, May 20, 4fam to Spm Lynn larey CCHTRE 1175 Lynn Vailey Rd. Mon.-Fri. 9:30-9:00 Sat. 9:30-6:00 Sun. & Holidays 11-5