I agree with councillor Frank Everitt that the proposed new business license fees for residential rental properties should be revisited. This piece of legislation was put through with little or no consideration as to the consequences.
1. It does not (and cannot) apply to illegal suites.
2. It applies on every residential property you own, so if you own eight houses then you pay eight license fee's, however if you own a 40 Unit apartment, you pay for only one license fee. Seems to me that we should have one license fee to cover all rental properties that you own, or failing that, at least have a system to pro rate the cost over the number of properties requiring licensing.
3. The person who owns multiple residential properties, pays taxes on them all, and cannot collect the homeowner's grant because the rentals are not his primary residence. In addition he pays the utility bills for all the properties. So it seems that the only reason for applying this business tax on his property, is so that the city can collect additional revenue. Considering all the taxes they already collect for these properties is hardly seems fair that they should be trying to collect more.
The business license fee's for residential properties should be amended so that it fairly reflects reality, or it should be thrown into the trash heap.
For clarification I do not own any residential property other than my primary residence.
Eric Allen
Prince George
