education tax

[dnach]

I think it is high time to get this issue back on the burner again. I believe that SUMA is pushing an education tax reform, and we as farmers must press the need for change immediately on farmland(In Sask.) I still believe that farmers should pay education tax on the home 1/4 only, with the balance coming from provincial funds. The amount of education tax paid by family farms in Sask is getting out of control.
Any thoughts on how to pursue this?

[carebear300]

WAY OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!!!!! It borders on the edge of criminal and all that the politicians will do is admit that there is a problem and do nothing. Don't you think that this government knew the financial problems we were in during the recent election campaign? They chose not to mention them so of course this will be one more reason not to address this problem(the old political spin trick) I will state once more that unless farmers get off their butts and raise hell they will continue to suck the hind teat.

[almoy]

Once again the government didn't need the farmers to get elected ! If we are waiting to get a break on the education tax we will have a long wait. A lot of us will be out of business first. The rest will be able to use their Old Age Pension to pay the education tax !!!

They paid to have another study done which will be ignored. What a waste of money !

[ivbinconned]

Phone APAS!
I have been pushing them to direct and focus their energy on this issue alone, for now, untill it is resolved.
They need to encourage the SARM as a body to stop collecting the tax and if someone has to go to jail....I volunteer.
Challange it in the courts!
And educate the city folks with bill boards or flyers pointing out that farmers are paying 4 (FOUR) times as much into the Education revenus as city people. Few would argue that this is fair. But they don't know!
The NDP will never tell them. Its up to us.
Phone APAS.

[cowman]

Just a few questions? What portion of the total land tax goes to education in Sask.? I believe it is slightly more than half the tax bill in Alberta. The municipal portion has remained relatively stable or dropped every year while the education portion continues to rise. We also have a portion of the taxes to pay for the fire protection. Seperately taxed.
How would you see government paying for education if they scrapped that portion of the land tax? Would an increase in personal income tax or raising the sales tax be viable options?

[dnach]

In Sask. the education tax is between 55 - 75% of the tax bill on land. I think raising the provincial sales tax a little will make everyone pay their fair share. I would even be willing to pay 25% more education tax on my home 1/4 rather than keep the status quoe.
Revenue from casinos should also be a target.

[ivbinconned]

I think the education tax bite should be equal to all homes. Not on property.

If that had been the case for the past 32 years I could have reinvested and potentionaly could have had another 100cows (mad) on my little place.

[Muttley]

It is certainly costing us more every year. My local school has around 130 or so students give or take a few, k to 12.
Our town and R.M. send more tax money to the school unit than it cost last year to run the school. What the heck is the government paying!!!!

[cris]

maybe check and see how many more Regina paychecks in the department of education in the past 4 years!!!

[grrrr]

At the 2003 SARM convention in March Lorne Calvert stood in front of 1500 delegates and said, "The status quo is not an option." As we got closer to election time the NDP made noises that they would follow whatever the Boughen came up with. I think the NDP did not expect to win that election and the Sask Party would be stuck with changing education funding in this province. The NDP would sit back and look good. The Sask Party would be the bad guys. Instead we have the NDP for another term and it will be very interesting to see how they weasel and twist to try to get out of this one.