education tax

[dnach]

This is a topic that despertly needs more attention. This is an issue in Sask. that has to be addressed as most farms are getting larger land bases. I am currently paying close to 5 times more than the average family pays in urban areas. Our children go to the same scools and recieve the same education. Yes, as rual families with children, we should pay more for bussing, but not the staggering amount we do pay.
We need change now in Sask. and any info or suggestios that people from all sides of this province and beyond can suggest would be appreciated.
I say tax only the home 1/4 that the farm is based on and then create a flat education tax for everyone who lives in this province.

[carebear300]

Yes, I would have to agree that we are paying far too much edtax, especially for the quality of the education that our kids are receiving. In the urban centers like Brandon, Yorton, or similar cities, the kids have the opportunity to receive everything and anything from Band, to tech courses, to science classes with really qualified instructors (as opposed to the PEd teacher who needs to teach Chem or Math to be full time). The rural kids do SOMETIMES have the advantage of smaller class sizes, but at the same time a limited on their course selections for the same reason. The solutions? It would have been prevented had we not experienced the mass exit from the farm, and still had the families out there to support the system. We have to remember that if we choose not to farm 10000 acres (or more), there would have been a lot more families in the last generation to share your "TAX Burden".

[cakadu]

How cost effective is it when you offer some of these classes and there are 7 kids enrolled in them? Is it worth it to run the class for the full semester? Is that that best use of scarce resources?

What could be done to level the playing field in the urban vs. rural schools?

[ianben]

Here in UK just houses are taxed for local taxes .8 rates based on value. I think about 50% ed funded from this tax rest from government treasury. No school bus though and rural schools shut if too few pupils.

[dnach]

re: lilac hill
The larger farms did not create the mass exit, the mass exit is creating larger farms. When I left the U of S ten years ago only 60% of the students went back to the farm, now it would be lucky to be 40%. 20 years ago you could raise a family on 1500ac today you need double that at least. It is just not econmicaly feaseable for many to go back to the farm. As long as we keep shipping raw grain and unfinished cattle out of this province the ag economy will never be attractive for our younger generation. Thus farms will get larger to fill the gaps that are occuring.
Regarless, we need a new education tax system in place now before we see a further exit form the family farm. Let's see solutions not allegations, such a typical Sask mantallity.
cakadu - The technology is available to offer any student any course via the inter-net and/or video teleconference.
But ianben has the best 'solutuin' so far , a broad based education tax , everyone pays the same for education period. We need to push for a system like that here. It only makes comon sense, it would go a long way to help stbilize the family farm regardless of size.

[ivbinconned]

Sad to say this is an issue that will never be addressed by our finger licking wind testing leaders of today.A shifting of more ed.tax to the urban voter means the urban voter will not vote for you,hence we are doomed to this injustice...UNLESS the SARM can collectivly screw up their courage and get a little radical and say to the province "no more will we tolerate this inequity"!! They are the only entity that can push the issue to the promanance that it deserves. Enough of resolutions.

[danm]

We in Manitoba are going through the same as you Saskatchewans.Did you know that Man & Sask are the only one's left that get school tax this way? So it kinda makes you wonder why is it different everywhere else in Canada? Poor leadership? The way we are taxed in Manitoba has been taken to a lawyer & there is a legal argument on it & now it's being discussed whether a class action should be started.
Sounds pretty extreme but the tax is extremely unfair I think everyone knows it but are not willing to put their political carreer on it.
Will Keep you posted.

[reddd]

MANITOBA FARMERS!

With the provincial election underway, now is the time to pressure your local candidates on the school tax issue.

If you would like to participate in an email campaign to tell the MB government what you think of schooltax being levied on farmland and property, please goto http://www.schooltax.net