’48 years later, we’re still waiting’: residents say they’ve been overtaxed and underserviced
About 50 people gathered in the gallery of Tantramar council chambers on Tuesday night, the majority there to hear a presentation by former councillor Ken Hicks, asking council to consider changes to the town’s taxation system.
Hicks lives in Frosty Hollow, within the former town of Sackville boundaries, but in a decidedly rural setting, with no access to water and sewer, and other amenities like street lights and sidewalks. But his tax rate is the same as the one charged on properties in other parts of the former town, where services like water and sewer and sidewalks are de rigeur. His predicament is similar to that of the Greene family, his in-laws, which CHMA reported on in March.
While the current amalgamation kicked off the recent protest from Hicks and the Greenes, their issue is a longstanding one. In his presentation Hicks harkened back to the source of his concern: a 1975 annexation of parts of Frosty Hollow, as well as Middle and Upper Sackville, into the then town of Sackville.
“At that time a commitment was made to provide services to these areas,” Hicks told councillors, “and 48 years later, we’re still waiting.”
Hicks told council that when Tantramar amalgamated, he and some of his neighbours expected that their tax rates would be changed, based on comments by local government minister Daniel Allain, who repeatedly stated that residents would only be taxed on the services they receive.… Continue