不要找借口涨税! 打散约克区政府符合纳税人的利益

 

本周，约克区政府传出对其不利的消息。一项调查显示，约克行政区10名居民中有9人反对约克区政府提出的征收车辆登记税的计划。代表安大略省1,100多家新车经销商的加拿大汽车协会和Trillium汽车经销商协会公布了这项民调。他们同时指出，约克区的驾车人对约克区准备收车辆登记税很反感。

This week, York Region receives more bad news. A survey reveals that nine out of 10 York Region residents are opposed to York Regional council’s potential plan of bringing in a vehicle registration tax. The Canadian Automobile Association and the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association, which represents more than 1,100 new car dealers in Ontario releases the survey and states that the prospect of a municipal vehicle registration tax is unpopular with motorists across the region.

随着约克区政府的债务在2017年达到29亿元的高峰，区政府曾要求省府给其征收新税的权力。今年6月安省大选两周前，约克地区政府再次要求省府赋予他们新的征税权。区政府抱怨说，它每年需要2.2亿元的基础设施建设资金，如果区政府地税税率不超过3％的上限，它就无力支付这些基础设施建设所花的费用。区政府要求与多伦多市同样的征税权力。关于征税的文章，请点击http://chinesenewsgroup.com/news/664941。

With the region’s debt hitting a peak of $2.9 billion in 2017, York Region demands power to bring in new taxes. Two weeks before the provincial election, York Region councillors renewed their demand that Queen's Park give them new taxing powers. The region complained that it has $220 million dollars a year in infrastructure needs that it cant afford to pay for as long as it sticks to its current cap of three per cent in annual property taxes. They want taxing powers similar to the City of Toronto. For that earlier report, please click http://chinesenewsgroup.com/news/664941

约克区委会指出，约克区下属的市政当局已经有权征收酒店税、空置单位税和收费公路。他们应获得新的征税权利，如土地转让税，车辆登记税，酒精饮料，娱乐税，停车和烟草税。所有这些都表明，约克区急吼吼地要通过征税来解决资金短缺的问题。另外，约克区由于行政摊子铺得太大，效率底下也是造成资金短缺的问题之一。

York Regional Council pointed out that municipalities already have the power to implement hotel and vacant unit taxes and toll roads. If approved with their new taxing powers, York Region can add a number of new fees permitted in Toronto on taxpayers including municipal land transfer, vehicle registration tax, alcohol, entertainment and amusement, parking and tobacco taxes. All of these moves would indicate that York Region is in dire need of more funding through taxes and is starting to struggle with financial management. It is also carrying too large a bureaucracy and performing in an inefficient manner.

在2014年的市政选举中，万锦市的市议员候选人Partap Dua建议废除约克区政府。他指出，万锦市应该退出约克行政区，因为区政府效率低，万锦市民所交的税没有给万锦带来应得的好处。 2017年，万锦市所收的地产税超过50％用于约克区的公共服务。2014年，人们对Partap Dua建议不屑一顾。现在回过头来看，他的建议很有现实意义。 

In the 2014 municipal election, one of the Markham Mayoral candidate Partap Dua suggested that York Region should be abolished. He was basically saying that Markham should withdraw from York Region since it was inefficient and Markham is not getting its tax money's worth from it. Over 50% of our property taxes in 2017 went to York region for their services. No one paid attention to Mr. Dua's suggestion at the time. Looking back at this, it makes a lot of sense now.

过去四年中，约克区政府花费纳税人的钱方面很随便，包括在Newmarket花2.12亿元建一栋与现有区政府大楼连接的办公楼。区政府强调，新大楼不是为了集中办公，而是对未来的投资。与此同时，区政府仍然在各个地方租办公室给市民提供服务。

In the last four years, York Region managed to spend our tax dollars in a very casual manner. It proceeded with the construction of a $212 million building connecting next to the existing headquarter in Newmarket.  Staff conceded that the new building is not a consolidation solution and that it is an investment in the future. Meantime, buildings are still being leased in other parts of the region.

由于Vaughan地铁扩建超支，使得区政府的账户上少了2.5亿元。 据透露，2017年11月，约克区未来10年道路建设所需资金短缺15亿。截至2017年底，约克地区的债务为29亿元，相当于每位居民背债$2,500元。

The overrun of the Vaughan subway extension took another $250 million out of the region's coffers. In November 2017, it was revealed that York Region is $1.5 billion short to fund its forecasted 10-year roads construction budget. At the end of 2017, York region has a debt of $2.9 billion – over $2500 for each one of its residents.

 

省选举结束后，福特省长将约克区和皮尔区主席的选举改回由行政区下面的各个议员组成的委员会“任命”。许多人认为这是福特为报复前安省保守党党魁布朗，但我对此的看法不同。目前的区主席将没有选民的参与而产生。因此，省长可以轻而易举地把区政府变成规模更小，更有效的政府。

Just after the Provincial election, Premier Ford reverted the election of the York Region and Peel Regional Chairs to “appointment” by their own Council members. Many looked at it as a vendetta against the disposed leader Patrick Brown but I look at this differently. The current election process will elect the two Regional Chairs without public mandate. It would then be much easier for the Premier to restructure those regions into lean and proficient governments. 

对于约克行政区，这种管理模式可能意味着万锦市，列治文山市和Vaughan将寻求脱离该行政区。这三个城市有与约克区政府同样的部门和员工，都有能力处理自己的公共服务。这三个市可以联合起来与代表其他市政的约克区政府来协调各自的规划蓝图。

For York region, this model can mean the departure of Markham, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan. These three cities are well equipped to handle their own services with their duplicated staff and departments. Overall planning can then be negotiated between the three big cities and a smaller York Region on behalf of the other remaining northern municipalities based on geographic boundaries under their controls. 

当然，三个市还要与新约克区政府协商如何分摊三市独立前约克区的债务问题。省政府在约克区原有债务如何分摊中起啥作用，目前不得而知。三个市离开约克区政府不可避免。这就是为什么市现任万锦市市长Scarpitti可能不会在11月竞选区主席，这同谣传不同。

Of course, this also involves the division of the debt to be carried by the departing municipalities. What role the provincial government will play in this debt sharing is unknown. The breaking up of the York Region is inevitable and the writing is on the wall. This is another reason why Mayor Scarpitti will probably not seek the York Region Chair in November, contrary to the rumours.

 

缩小约克区政府的规模不仅仅是我自己的观察。许多人已经看到它正在形成但却故意视而不见。福特省长是安省这条船的船长，当这艘“船”在2年内撞到他们时，这些人将会落水。

This shrinking of the York region is not just my own observations. Many have seen it coming down the tracks but refused to believe in it. Premier Ford is the engineer driving this train and the under-achievers and non-believers will be rolled over when this “train” hits them within 2 years.