9 - Sunday, April 9, 1989 = North Shore News ~ A Place To GO When You're Pregnant And Need Support: | BIRTHRIGHT | Call 987-7313 » Free Pregnancy Test « & 229 Lonsdale In Vancouver Call North Vancouver 687-7223 Ds Dovuc CoLLIns AMBLESIDE TORS. HOBBIES - “11425. MARINE:DR, WEST VAN 9722:3512 | which is a tax-price ratio of 1:188. a A house on Wellington Drive, North Van, was priced in March at ; . ° \\ THE INEVITABLE increase in your property taxes looms, so I am lending an ear to a spy in the real estate business whe tells me that taxpayers in North Van District are being 1 2,367, robbed. He produced documentary evidence thereof. $339,000. Its taxes were $ 5 ratio of 1:143. A house on Gordon Taxpayers are always being rob- bed, of course. It is to be robbed that we elect people to office, and until we go back to the caves ncthing will change. As the late Mr. Edmund Burke put it, “To tax and to please, ne more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.”’ So we have to make the best of it. Which is not to say that we should endure such torture without complaint. To proceed: it was my belief that property taxes in West Vancouver have always been higher than those in the other North Shore municipalities. But my spy says it ain't so, even though West Van is populated in the main by the de- cadent rich and the dregs of colo- nialism. My informant wagged a finger. That West Van pays more than North Van District, he said, is all bunk — propaganda designed in all probability to keep Marilyn Baker in her job until she slopes off to higher things. (The district was his main target, although the city’s taxes are also comparatively higher than West Van’s, he claim- ed ) “Taxes in the district are much too high,’’ he declared. ‘‘In rela- tion to the price of a property, West Van people gct a far better deal.”' His evidence was the “‘listings hotsheet’’ published by the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board under the intriguing title of *‘Sam’s White Hot MLS Reports,”’ which sheet is not circulated to the humble. It shows that in West Van- couver, house prices are usually 140 to 200 times the annual taxes, while in the district they are isual- ly 100 to 130. In other words, the taxes in the district are higher. are eternal ..it was my belief that property taxes in West Vancouver have always been higher than those in other North Shore municipalities. Bui my spy says it ain’t so, even though West Van is populated in the main by the decadent rich and the dregs of colonialism.” If that j is confusing, took at it this way: if a house in West Van is priced at $200,000 and its taxes are 140th of that, the taxes would be $1,428. But if a house in North Van District is priced at $200,000, and its taxes are 100th of the price, that would be $2,000, The listings reflect such dif- ferences time after time. Some ex- amples: A place in Newdale Court, North Van District, was listed in February at $399,000. Its taxes were $2,702, which is a tax-price ratio of 1:148. A house on In- glewood, in West Van, was listed at $397,500. Its taxes were $2,113, Ave., West Van, was priced at $329,000 with taxes of $1,707, for a ratio of 1:192. And 30 on. Sometimes the ratios are in line. But not often, My man admitted that this is not an official nor even a recognized method of comparing taxes, but says it rarely fails to tell the true story. Mayors and councils can juggle assessments and mill rates as much as they want, he says, but laxes always go up ‘‘and I would like you to publish this before Marilyn Baker gets going with another round of increases.”’ | fear it is too late, friend. The proposed operating budget for North Van District involves a 4.6 per cent increase for the coming tax year, and I don’t see the op- pressed out with clubs and staves. West Van ratepayers, mean- while, are looking at a 13.3 per cent increase. Whether that will put them in the same ‘‘we wuz robbed’’ category as North Van | am not clever enough to know. (The West Yannies are also suf- fering in silence.) Easked North Van District fi- nance director Mike Hoskin whether property taxes in his municipality had ever gone down in the last 20 years. He said he couldn't think of a year when they had. Back to the caves@ Significant demand in NV From page 5& Loucks said answering the phone ‘bonjour’ would indicate the employee could speak French, ‘but they can’t.’” “I'ta pleased the RCMP always have someone on duty who can speak French,’’ Loucks added. North Vancouver District Mayor Marilyn Baker said she is in a Hearing Tests Set For Senior Citizens (North Shore}—Hearing tests will be given at the Beltone Hearing Centres on Tues. to Thurs. from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone who has trouble hear- ing is welcome to have the test. Many people with hearing pro- blems don't need hearing aids. But only a modern hearing test like the one now being offered by Beltone can really tell for sure. Everyone should have a hear- ing test at least once a year — even people now wearing a hear- ing aid or those who have been told nothing could be done for them. Only a hearing test can determine if modern methods of hearing amplification can help them hear better. The hearing tests will be given Tues. to Thurs. from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. NORTH SHORE #101A-1124 Lonsdale N. Vancouver Please phone for appointment 988-4477 Todd Ashton Hearing Ald Consultant Belton€ Pasaierantinettinatiindtina aia TT ornate Wyuna Beiter Hearing Through Professional Care ‘wait and see mode." She said she doesn’t think the RCMP has the power to dictate to civilian staff. Morton's boss, Chief Superin- tendent Gordon Clarke at E divi- sion (B.C.) headquarters, said that under the Official Languages Act, there must be ‘‘an active offer of service’ in both official languages in detachments like North Van- couver, where there is ‘‘significant demand.”’ The 1986 census lists 50 people in both communities who speak French only, and 8,215 who are bi- lingual. One thousand and sixty people list French as their. first language. WE'RE PAID ONLY WHEN YOU COLiEC?! 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