A coalition of Saskatchewan businesses, local governments and taxpayer organizations said last week that none of the political parties has sufficiently addressed the issue of education tax on property.
Representatives from urban, rural and resort communities, school boards, the provincial chamber of commerce and the realtors’ association urged voters to ask candidates their views about the matter.
“The two leading parties have not addressed the need to reform the whole property tax system,” said Al Didur, chair of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors’ government relations committee.
Read Also
Alberta researcher helps unlock the economics of farming
Lethbridge Polytechnic researcher helping agriculture producers with decision-making tools in economic feasibility
He said the party leaders have talked about credits and rebates but those don’t lower taxes.
“No one is listening,” Didur said.
The New Democratic Party has promised a rebate through income tax credits. Agricultural landowners would see their current tax credit continue.
The Saskatchewan Party said it would double the credits, putting the farmers’ rebate at 80 percent.
And the Liberal party has said it would remove education tax on all residential properties.
“The Saskatchewan government relies excessively on property tax to fund education,” said Ted Hillstead, president of the provincial chamber of commerce.
The coalition has been trying since 2005 to change that. The government did implement tax credit programs to keep the funding split for kindergarten to Grade 12 education at 60 percent paid by government and 40 percent paid from property tax revenue.
But Roy Challis, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, said even with the credit, property taxpayers are paying more than 40 percent.
“When the rebate program ends … we will be left to backfill,” he told reporters.
“We want a long-term sustained funding plan rather than a Band-Aid solution.”
David Marit, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said the Saskatchewan Party plan comes closest to what the coalition wants. However, the coalition has not endorsed the plan.
Challis said education costs will continue to rise. Salaries account for about 70 percent of the education budget.
