PPO T Ur ATG - Top Dog p 3

fades heres

car Mentay aight tens ¥ Shetland sheepdog Sliter
“ takes top national honours

NOVEMBER 5, 2000

Cadi

Celebrations o0e 28

= Classifieds soe 37
Crossword ooo k]
Fashion ooo 16

_ Sports * 36

’ Talking Personals *9+ 37 British Property

: owners want views
back, trees cut

Focus 15

Assessors refuse to change policy

Jan-Christian Sorensen
rensen@nsucews.cont

THE fight over the inclusion of GST in new home
assessments may just be heating up.

pite a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision that ruled in favour of a
ssment Authority's policy
= GST as part of the municipal property tax assessment on a new
Crown corporation will stay the couse.
is charged on the sale of new homes, bur aot used ones.

Bill and Jo Ann Wedley bought their 2.500-sq.-tt, Deer Ridge penthou
suite for $617,000 in 1994, The selling price included $43,000 in GST and
an additional $10,000 property transter tas,

However, when the Wedlevs received their property tay assessment the
ext vear, GST was included as part of the property value.

“We moved in and we're h here and then ... when we received our
propery assessment it was at $640,000. J immediately asked “How come Pint
being taxed at more than what [ paid?*”

Phat began a lengthy court battle berveen the Wedleys and the B.C.
Assessipent Authority

At issue was whether or not GST should be included as part of the munic-

er, maintained that because GST
is a tax on ri : s partof value. The Wedlevs argued
that beeau : ther the vendor or purchaser but toa
third par ederal government — it is not germane co market value.
The W unsuccessfully appealed their 1995-1998 3 sto the
property assessment appeal board and took their fight as far as the Supreme
Court twice before Madam Justice Risa E. Levine 1998 ordered that the
sment appeal board should reconsider the Wedley’s evidence and exam-

bruary, the appeal board ruled that GS pot part of market value
when a new property is purchased and the Wedleys subsequently had their
1996 and 1997 assessments lowered te $612,000 and $623,000, respective-

act, most people don’t even know it hap-
pens. They're trusting the assessor. [ found out and then T complained. And
because [ complained and because E was successfidl E had mine lowered.”
the | Supreme Court also‘ ruled in favour of the
We ssessor had until mid-October to appeal the decision, but did
not,
Wedley wondered whether that meant the assessment authority has cho-

NEWS phoio Mike Waketieid sen to rethink its policy of GST inclusion.
However, Jim) McClure, deputy ssor of the North Shore-Squamish

P. 4 | ik Vall Crown corporation’s practice of inelud-
a il g e ro ui Sy Wa ing i SSE ue ofa new home, 0
BOUNDARY school safety patrollers Joe! Gilbertson, Frankie Wong, and Katelynn Potter are all “We believe (GST) is being recaprured in the marketplace and we believe
dressed up with nowhere to go. Their prograra cannot begin until the district builds a sidewalk.
Behind them are parents and principal Joe Tibble. See story page 2. See GST page 2

Bo Results «

° Mambers Don't Lie - Neither A
° MiQ@ Enrollment Fee °* MO Commitment * NI© Line Ups
* NO Contract me Limits ° Ni© Excuses

ee wt’, 33 : Es ia F 4 includes FREE
: - ; Ton Ne 5 d ‘World Famou