ASSESSMENTS 

We at the SCA realize that everyone has finally received their new MPAC assessments.  We have a correspondence below from a member who was interested in passing on his “appeal” process to date if any other members were interested.  Although SCA has no power or ability to directly help with appeals, we can do our best to help inform you.  Hope this is helpful information. 

To get a change it is a three step process with deadlines with two different organizations to deal with.  

One, ascertain the values you can use for a RfR.(Request for Reconsideration with MPAC). Use real-estate sales of like properties within 6 months before and after the base date used for your assessment evaluation. ( private sales, distressed sales, and sales between family members are excluded from the review process)

By phone you can ask for details of assessments of properties you consider to be like yours provided you have complete address information. If more than a couple of requests make a written request to MPAC. (Note only the owner listed on the property assessment notice or a duly authorized representative can get information.)   

Two, Make a RfR as soon as possible.   

Three, as soon as you have a reply, which is not satisfactory, file an appeal with the ARB. ( Assessment Review Board). In order for this to have any effect on your taxes a decision must be made by Mar of tax year. Each process can take a couple of months.    
 

I have challenged my property taxes twice. The first time I waited to see the actual tax increase believing that the mill rate would be adjusted because of the enormous tax base increase. ( See note on Property Assessment Notice; An assessment increase does not necessarily mean your property taxes will increase). On one property the % tax increase was equal to the % change in assessment. The municipalities have opportunity to take all they can get and just talk about the % of mill rate increase, NOT the combination of assessment and mill rate change resulting in your total tax cost increase. Rarely have municipalities talked publicly about their tax base increase with these MPAC re-assessments.   

The second time I filed a RfR in Feb., I filed an appeal to the ARB a week later. My response for the RfR came in May, two months after the Mar. deadline for that tax year. My appeal hearing with the ARB was in Aug., one month before the deadline to effect the taxes for the following year. At the hearing they postponed issuing a decision until late Nov or early Dec.of this year. IE If I get a favourable decision it may not take effect until 2010 tax year.  

 
 

In summary, start today, I already called MPAC and got two assessments for comparison on my cottage, and will write to get additional comparisons. The comparisons from the MPAC usually give assessment, descriptions and last sale of the property. 

I will need sale prices of like properties and their assessments for my RfR.  

The ARB board likes to have 6 comparable properties in their review process. You need to have facts about the properties the MPAC uses in their assessment evaluation to show how yours differs. You will get the information on how the MPAC justifies their decision before you go before the ARB. I got mine two weeks before the hearing. ( PS when you get to the ARB take a minimum of two additional copies of all evidence you are going to present. They don't tell you this before the hearing.)  

I just wanted people to know that appealing to MPAC doesn't seem to do anything. You need to be prepared to go the ARB tribunal hearing. That second process costs $40.   

I should be hearing about my other appeal to the ARB, as it is now mid November. I will let you if I was successful. 
 

Ryan Tarrant on behalf of a SCA member. 

Fire Protection

" 

At our AGM, Executive Member Paul Morgan addressed the current Fire Protection situation as it relates to our current members. There was general agreement that this issue should be re-addressed, information gathered and a group/s formed to rejuvenate a fire safety program.  

Anyone who would be interested in joining a SCA fire safety committee, forming a local group to have a fire pump, or wants to be part of a group,  please contact Paul Morgan @ phmorgan@sympatico.ca, copy to our president, Ryan of SCA, ryantarrantsca@hotmail.com

 
We would like to set up “groups”, set some equipment and equipment maintenance standards, set up a communication procedure in case of fire, and begin a fire prevention education program for cottagers."

All help will be appreciated and we believe beneficial to all members who would like to help protect their lifestyle, investment and family.