Packed House for Farm Tax Ratio Vote

Wednesday, 11 April 2018 at 14:14

Oxford County council voted against a .22% farm tax ratio in a close 5-5 recorded vote, settling on a .235% increase instead.

WOODSTOCK - Oxford County Council has set the farm tax ratio at .235 percent in front of a packed house in the Council Chambers.

An amendment to the ratio of .22 percent was defeated in a 5-5 recorded vote. Farmers in Oxford County paid a record high in property taxes in 2017 and had asked the County for a moderate increase in 2019. President of the local OFA Dirk Boogerd says they just wanted to see a ratio where everyone could save money.

"It is a principle of fairness, that is what we are here arguing as well, why should one class recieve a significant decrease versus another paying an increase. So a fair statement from us is if everybody can save, maybe that is the way to go."

Boogerd says farmers in Oxford County already paid a record high in taxes in 2017 and the numbers continue to trend upwards. He notes these increases will have to come from their profits.

"It might be small amounts but with farms we are price takers, not price setters, this is not something we can pass down the line to get reimbursed for. We can't ask our processors for an extra 5 cents a litre for milk or an extra $20 dollars for a steer, we buy everything at retail and we sell everything at wholesale so every little dollar really does count."

County Council was originally proposing a .25 farm tax ratio which would have meant a $110 increase for the average farm property. Under the current the current .235 ration, residential property taxes will go down by $17, while farm property taxes will go up by $77. The .22 farm tax ration the OFA proposed and five county councillors endorsed would have meant savings for both properties.

Councillor Don McKay asked for a recorded vote on the .22 percent increase. Councillors McKay, Lupton, Wearn, Tait and Warden Mayberry voted in favour of the .22 percent increase. Councillors Birtch, Talbot, Comiskey, Molnar and Martin voted against it.