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The Oakville Beaver, Tuesday D e c e m b e r 30, 2003 - A 3 Residents cry foul over huge property assessment increases (Continued from page A1) property taxes he paid last year to the $12,504.64 he estimates he'll likely pay this year -- based on last year's millrate against his new property value. Then the municipalities and Province will set budgets. "We don't know what's going to happen to the millrate, but this is mind-boggling for some." he said. The reassessment reflects an updated appraisal o f properties over the two-year period of 2001 to 2003. The average two-year increase on all Halton properties was 14.9 per cent, compared to an 11.2 per cent provincial average. Residential properties in Halton increased by 16.7 per cent, com pared to a 13.2 per cent provincial average increase. Oakville tax rolls won't be available until after the new year, but traditionally Oakville property values increase more than the provincial and regional bench marks. said Bird. A statement released by Halton Region earlier this month said the jumps in property values aren't the same as tax hikes. Taxes could be affected by the budgets set by Halton Region, the Town and the Province for educa tion. The arrival of final assessment rolls simply sets the stage for the property tax budget processes to begin. Residents in the affected area in southeast Oakville -- dubbed the Morrison-Chartwell Rectangle (MCR) -- however are question ing what Erlindson calls the "humongous" reassessment on their property value -- on which taxes are based. "We're not starving to death around here, but we're pretty upset," said Erlindson, who has emailed and hand-delivered two let ters to an estimated 250 area resi dents affected, as well as those out side of the MCR. "We're putting together a group and it's going to get much larger very soon," he said, noting he had 45 responses to his first let ter over Christmas. Residents say the argument is about applying MVA fairly -- not jost in a specific area. "In mid-December, we all received an amended notice from MEAC which translates to an incredulous increase, generally in live range of 45-50 per cent in aises*ii value to be used for 2004 o^er the value used for 2003," wrote Erlindson. !· The `Mother of all Increases' ij-an incomprehensible 76 per cent ffr one resident. Over the past week, we have received a number o{ phone calls from concerned neighbours. It appears that all of our streets and adjacent streets Ifcve received amended notices of similar magnitude," he continued. \ "2Vjiumber of residents have pfo\^$d the assessed value in immense market pressure, said Wightman, noting, it's premature to say what influence that has had on the situation. The residents say their argu ment isn't with the Town or the Region over tax hikes, but MPAC and how it has come up with their reassessed values. "This is really a matter between the residents and MPAC, which determines the assessed values. The Town does not determine assessed values. Once the final assessment roll values are provided by MPAC to the Town, and the amount of monies (taxes) needed to run both the Town and the Region are determined, the mill rates for the various property classes are then calculated." said Erlindson. "I started to hear about this in mid-December at some social events." said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn to whom the residents have appealed for support. The new MPP. and former town councillor, said he has seen this before. "A few years ago, it hap pened in Bronte," he said. Calling such increases "cruel" and something for which people can't plan or budget, Flynn said, "Market value assessment (MVA) is not working, it's costing a lot of money and it's not user-friendly." Flynn said it's not easy to call the MPAC office, and taxpayers may wind up standing in line at the Square One Halton-Peel area office with only a hope of being heard. Assessments are determined by all the buildings, improvements and land that make up the property. The recent assessment is based on the "current value" of the prop erty as of June 30,2003 - the price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller in an arm's length transaction if the transaction occurred on June 30, 2003. Property owners have two appeal options. First, they can file a Request for Reconsideration with MPAC free of charge. Forms and information are available at munic ipal offices, MPAC offices, on the Internet at www.mpac.ca or by call ing 1-866-296-6722. If no agreement is reached, a complaint can be filed with the Assessment Review Board (ARB). There is a fee and complaints must be filed by March 31,2004. Complaints can be filed elec tronically through the ARB Web site at www.arb.gov.on.ca and can be sent to the board. Forms, instruc tions and information are available at the ARB office at 250 Yonge St., Toronto, at MPAC and municipal offices and at government informa tion centres (GICs) across Ontario. Call the ARB at 416-314-6900 or toll-free at 1-800-263-3237. Barrie Erskine · Oakville Beaver Mel Erlindson stands at the co m er of M orrison Road and Lakeshore Road East -- the southeast boundary of the MorrisonChartwell Rectangle (M CR) that saw many homeowners receive huge increases in their property assessments. June 2001 (used for calculating up by the same enormous levels," 2003 taxes), the value in the said Erlindson. So now residents are banding assessment notice received in October, and the value in the together. "Before several hundred resi amended assessment notice received in December. The dents proceed to inundate the October value is typically about 17 appeal process by individually fil per cent over the value used for ing a Request for Review to 2003 and the December value is MPAC or a Notice of Complaint to usually about another 25 per cent the Assessment Review Board, we over the October value. That trans think there is merit in approaching lates to an aggregate increase of 46 this as a group." said Erlindson. Erlindson is compiling what he per cent over the value used for* 2003," said Erlindson. calls a "database" of affected resi Erlindson said he contacted res dents. He can be reached at 905idents who live in other areas 842-2276 or at melvin.erlindbetween Morrison Road and son@sympatico.ca Paul Wightman. customer serv Chartwell -- and all confirmed receiving amended assessments ice manager of MPAC's HaltonPeel office, said amended reassess with similar alarming increases. He also contacted residents out ments were sent to correct the orig side the area -- those east of inal reassessment notices. "We will review the neighbour Morrison Road, west of Chartwell, and north of Linbrook -- and said hood again with them (the resi none of them have received second dents) early in the new year." said amended assessments. Wightman. adding MPAC will "They didn't get the 25 per cent take another look at area property values and analyzing sales figures. kicker," he said. However, he suggests all resi "Incredibly, the demarcation line appears to go right down the dents file an appeal since each middle of these three streets. We property, and assessment roll num believe the southern boundary is ber is unique. Lakeshore Road," he said. Once an appeal is launched, "We had naively assumed that MPAC is mandated to review it. `market value' meant 'market "Each and every one will be value applied fairly and equitably looked at in detail," he said, "I to all residents of the town, and in expect to see a flood of appeals the same time frame,'" said probably by next week." Wightman said such an occur Erlindson. "We contacted MPAC to deter rence, where a whole area is mine if these amended notices involved, is rare. were in fact limited to the area or "Everyone is aware that the were more widespread, and we eastern section of Oakville is under could not get any clarification. If you They suggested we compare our have a m w s tip or sto ry assessed values with other proper Idea, ties in the area -- we question call the Oekville what that would achieve if in this Beaver at area our assessments have all gone 845-3824. O u r B E S T P R IC E S ALL M O N T H L O N G . T H E N E W Y E A R H A S A N I C E R I N G T O IT. 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