Saskatchewan farmers could pay only one-fifth of the annual $300 million education property tax bill by 2011.
The provincial government is committed to a phased-in reduction, Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud told a pulse processors conference in Moose Jaw Wednesday.
"When it comes to education tax on your farm we're going to do something about it right now," he told the Western Canadian Marketers and Processors Association.
"On top of the 38 per cent rebate we hope to be upping that to 47 per cent for the first year.
"That rebate will improve to 56 (per cent) in the second year, 66 in the third year and by the fourth year, we hope to rebate 80 per cent."
He described the education property tax as the unfairest tax out there.
The former farmer said he hoped the Saskatchewan Party government can avoid situations where farm programs that don't work are re-named as if they had changed.
Agriculture Saskatchewan is investigating its own administration of federally-run farm safety net programs.
With provincial administration, he feels there will be better and faster response, especially in handling applications.
"Now you make a phone call, you get a voice at the other end but no reaction. You're just a file on a desk," Bjornerud said.
"It would be far easier to make changes if we don't have to ask someone else to do it for us."
"(And provincially-run programs) would put the onus on us to fix the problems."
Talks with Alberta, which administers its own programs, found benefits in costs, he said.
"They say it saves them about 60 per cent. There is, of course, a start-up cost," said the minister.
Currently, Saskatchewan pays $15 million annually in administration fees.
Bjornerud promised changes to the crop insurance program based on consultations with producers.
"We'd like to hear the changes farmers want and we'll make as many of the changes as we can afford and as we go."
Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.
Rebate could hit 80 per cent: minister
Rebate could hit 80 per cent: minister
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- Published on January 31st, 2008
- Published on July 10th, 2009
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Ron Walter
Saskatchewan farmers could pay only one-fifth of the annual $300 million education property tax bill by 2011.
The provincial government is committed to a phased-in reduction, Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud told a pulse processors conference in Moose Jaw Wednesday.
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- dave
- - September 18th, 2009 at 17:41:06
There it is, the other shoe has finally dropped. If the farm party wants to rebate 80% of the school portion of farm property tax to farms, where do you think it will come up with the money to replace that lost revenue? That's right, the city property owners of course. It has become quite clear that as long as you are labor, or an urban resident, you're money is fair game. Don't be using that we don't send many kids to school, so the burden is too high excuse either. I have no children, but accept my responsibility to educate the next generation. My list of questions for candidates in the next election is already growing.
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- Corey
- - September 18th, 2009 at 16:06:32
Dorothy You state that farms generat money where most urbans do not,maybe to start with you should get a job that does generate money. Also if this is true then should the rural be footing all the bills for eduacation? Just wondering to, how you will pay for a rural sponsor child it you have a job that does not generate money as you have stated? Have you ever stopped to think where the money starts in this province,gaswells,uranium mines,food production(farming),forestry,diamond mines,pipe lines,even the water you drink comes from the rural, ect.None of these things are in downtown MooseJaw. These things occur in the rural,the spinoffs however, occur province wide.I don't know what you do for a living but I bet you are not getting the same wage you were years ago,and I also bet that when your buisness has a price increase it gets passed onto the consumer. Farmers would not be in the position they are and neither would rural communities if the actually got paid for what their product is worth. For example would you be willing to pay $5.00 for a loaf of bread because wheat has gone up, as it has, probably not, but fertilizer to grow this wheat has doubled and may triple by spring. I quess when it boils down to it farmers are not looking for handouts from anybody they just want a fair price for their product,and I quess if thats to much to ask we will all just quit farming. Then I quess you can all go buy you groceries at Safeway,like I heard a women on Gormley say. I don't need farmers because I get all my groceries at Safeway The day may come when food is not readily available,how long do you think you can last with out it,their are many things that you can do with out but food is not on that list, when your cupboards are empty, who will be your friend then,probably not the farmer.
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- Corey
- - September 18th, 2009 at 15:53:13
I think it is about time the education tax was straighted out,most farmers on average pay 10 times more education tax than do city residents and quite a few of these don't even have a school in the area. I think a more fair system would be a tax per household making it even across the board. Even a better idea would be to allow every rate payer to direct their taxes to the school of their choice than maybe we would have some schools in the rural and my 6 year old daughter would not have to ride a school bus for 3 1/2 hours per day think about it!!!!!!
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- Dorothy
- - September 18th, 2009 at 15:45:44
That's all well and good Corey but that farm generates money while most urban residences do not. Afterall, farmers are businessmen, entrepreneurs. Why city residents should dole out corporate welfare to farmers is beyond me.
Oh well, that's where my tax dollars went in the 80's and it looks like the SaskParty will bring back this policy. Perhaps the farmers should send a picture of their kid(s) to someone in the city so we can get to know our 'sponsor child.'
And I have had it with the complaining about school closures and bussing. Either have more kids, which will keep the schools open, cut back the size of family farms meaning there are more farm families, or have farmers move into the town where the school is. If a farmer cares so much about his kids, he will make the sacrifice and commute to work just like everyone else. You won't need busses and can save the local school. There are loads of people who crave country living and would buy the homestead and keep an eye on the farm when the farmer isn't there.
