How has the Economy treated you ?

[taxslave]

Oddly enough we are doing quite well. Working 50-60 hrs/wk as usual. The disaster in lumber has made some interesting openings in other wood products. Actually got a raise this week but only because the union companies did even though most of them are not working. Fuel and food seems to be going up all out of proportion to the economy though. Our food bill is probably a little higher because we only buy organic veggies and meat. Almost never get premade foods and never junk food except what they pass off as breakfast on the ferry once a week.

 

[VanIsle]

I reached the "old bastard" category last year and my taxes were just over $540 and this year they jumped to just over $660. I sent an email to the mayor and got a bunch of B.S. back from one of his minions, but anyway had to pay.

$540! I wish that was all we had to pay. Even with the extra grant we paid double that. There are a number of Islanders on here that probably paid much the same as us.

 

[In Between Man]

The economy is treating me just fine thankyou. I easily pay my expenses, stash money, buy toys and go do fun things, and give money to beggars. All with expectation to be blessed with more in the future.

For I am your provider and meet all your needs. -- Matthew 6:31-33

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. -- James 1:17

Thanks for surrounding me with your favor Father!

 

[JLM]

$540! I wish that was all we had to pay. Even with the extra grant we paid double that. There are a number of Islanders on here that probably paid much the same as us.

My complaint isn't about the amount so much as the increase- hey we are all very lucky here when you consider what they pay in Alberta and no grants there.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Quoting JLM
I reached the "old bastard" category last year and my taxes were just over $540 and this year they jumped to just over $660. I sent an email to the mayor and got a bunch of B.S. back from one of his minions, but anyway had to pay.

$540! I wish that was all we had to pay. Even with the extra grant we paid double that. There are a number of Islanders on here that probably paid much the same as us. VanIsle

Are you guys for real, do you live in Canada? I never heard of such ridiculously low property taxes. Do you guys live in a cubby hole or something? Our property taxes this year were around 6000 $ (which was only a slight increase from the last year).

 

[SirJosephPorter]

We both will be 60 next year and we are trying to cut down. Unfortunately, in the field of medicine there is no cutting down during an economic downturn. People get sick more when times are bad. My wife has noticed an uptake and she doesn’t like it.

As for me (an IT consultant), it is pretty much same as before. If I lose any business contract with regular customers, I don’t think I will go out looking for more. But no slowdown yet that I can notice.

 

[JLM]

Quoting JLM
I reached the "old bastard" category last year and my taxes were just over $540 and this year they jumped to just over $660. I sent an email to the mayor and got a bunch of B.S. back from one of his minions, but anyway had to pay.

$540! I wish that was all we had to pay. Even with the extra grant we paid double that. There are a number of Islanders on here that probably paid much the same as us. VanIsle

Are you guys for real, do you live in Canada? I never heard of such ridiculously low property taxes. Do you guys live in a cubby hole or something? Our property taxes this year were around 6000 $ (which was only a slight increase from the last year).

What is your property valued at? Taxes such as you pay (if it's on a modest family home) only discourage people from investing in real estate and owning their own home. Home owners are more of an asset to a community than renters, in that on average they take more pride in improving their neighbourhood.

 

[pgs]

Hmmmn
sjp pays $6000.00 in property taxes per annum.
Must be quite the mansion for two lost lonely souls to share.
How big is your carbon footprint sjp?
Must have been a lot of lights to turn off during earth hour eh ?

 

[SirJosephPorter]

What is your property valued at? Taxes such as you pay (if it's on a modest family home) only discourage people from investing in real estate and owning their own home. Home owners are more of an asset to a community than renters, in that on average they take more pride in improving their neighbourhood.

We bought it for around 400,000 five years ago (it is lakefront property). I have no idea what it is worth today. However, when we moved in, we were paying around 5000 $ in property taxes, so I assume assessment has gone up a bit.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Hmmmn
sjp pays $6000.00 in property taxes per annum.
Must be quite the mansion for two lost lonely souls to share.
How big is your carbon footprint sjp?
Must have been a lot of lights to turn off during earth hour eh ?

Pgs, carbon footprint does depend to a large extent upon one’s income. Somebody earning say, a million $ per year is going to have a bigger footprint than somebody who works for minimum wage. That cannot be avoided unless we all decide to live like paupers.

That is why conservative criticism of Gore regarding his carbon footprint rings hollow, it has achieved no traction with public at large. Gore has a large footprint because he has a high income. It is nonsense to compare Gore with you or me, of course we are going to have a much smaller footprint compared to Gore.

The fairer comparison is, how does his carbon footprint compare with others in is income bracket? My guess is that Gore fares very well compared to others in his income bracket. If he had not, conservatives would have made a big stink about it.

In my opinion, carbon foot print is not a fair comparison, it is nonsense. The proper comparison is carbon footprint per 100 dollars earned. And I expect Gore would come out very well on that score indeed.

 

[JLM]

We bought it for around 400,000 five years ago (it is lakefront property). I have no idea what it is worth today. However, when we moved in, we were paying around 5000 $ in property taxes, so I assume assessment has gone up a bit.

Too much tax, your place is three times the value of mine and you are paying ten times the tax. Even w/o any grants I'd only be paying about $1800.

 

[petros]

Pgs, carbon footprint does depend to a large extent upon one’s income. Somebody earning say, a million $ per year is going to have a bigger footprint than somebody who works for minimum wage. That cannot be avoided unless we all decide to live like paupers.

So people who bust their ass at minimum wage are mere paupers? With 70% of people in the nation being in service industry making minumum wage or under the POVERTY LINE ($14an hr) makes Canada a nation of paupers.

Sweet.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Too much tax, your place is three times the value of mine and you are paying ten times the tax. Even w/o any grants I'd only be paying about $1800.

Depends upon the locality, JLM. Some jurisdictions have higher property taxes than others.

 

[JLM]

Pgs, carbon footprint does depend to a large extent upon one’s income. Somebody earning say, a million $ per year is going to have a bigger footprint than somebody who works for minimum wage. That cannot be avoided unless we all decide to live like paupers.

That is why conservative criticism of Gore regarding his carbon footprint rings hollow, it has achieved no traction with public at large. Gore has a large footprint because he has a high income. It is nonsense to compare Gore with you or me, of course we are going to have a much smaller footprint compared to Gore.

The fairer comparison is, how does his carbon footprint compare with others in is income bracket? My guess is that Gore fares very well compared to others in his income bracket. If he had not, conservatives would have made a big stink about it.

In my opinion, carbon foot print is not a fair comparison, it is nonsense. The proper comparison is carbon footprint per 100 dollars earned. And I expect Gore would come out very well on that score indeed.

So I guess Gore (in his attempt to clean up the planet) should be telling people - "do either one of two things, reduce your foot print or start earning the money I do".

 

[VanIsle]

Pgs, carbon footprint does depend to a large extent upon one’s income. Somebody earning say, a million $ per year is going to have a bigger footprint than somebody who works for minimum wage. That cannot be avoided unless we all decide to live like paupers.

That is why conservative criticism of Gore regarding his carbon footprint rings hollow, it has achieved no traction with public at large. Gore has a large footprint because he has a high income. It is nonsense to compare Gore with you or me, of course we are going to have a much smaller footprint compared to Gore.

The fairer comparison is, how does his carbon footprint compare with others in is income bracket? My guess is that Gore fares very well compared to others in his income bracket. If he had not, conservatives would have made a big stink about it.

In my opinion, carbon foot print is not a fair comparison, it is nonsense. The proper comparison is carbon footprint per 100 dollars earned. And I expect Gore would come out very well on that score indeed.

No Sir Joe - I disagree with you completely. The bigger the pay chq. the bigger the ability to leave a smaller carbon ft. prt. Gore should put his money where his mouth is (instead of his foot where his mouth is).

 

[SirJosephPorter]

So I guess Gore (in his attempt to clean up the planet) should be telling people - "do either one of two things, reduce your foot print or start earning the money I do".

Close, JLM. He should be telling them "reduce your foot print AND start earning the money I do"

 

[VanIsle]

So people who bust their ass at minimum wage are mere paupers? With 70% of people in the nation being in service industry making minumum wage or under the POVERTY LINE ($14an hr) makes Canada a nation of paupers.

Sweet.

If $14.00 an hour is the poverty line it's a darn good thing my husband works and has a pension besides or we would be on the streets with my wage. People in the service industry - waiters/waitresses - make $8.00 an hour in BC (our cheap Prem. won't raise the min. wage and get people off the streets)but a good server can earn no less than $100.00 per day in tips. I work with people who look down their nose at being a waitress yet they work for JP who pays as little as he can get away with. They start at $9.75 an hour and work all kinds of crappy shifts (and pay union dues) when they could do better in the service industry which is only temporary work anyway.
People who bust their ass working usually cannot afford to buy a car so they really do leave a small carbon foot print. Guys like Gore can afford to buy the best electric vehicle available and should not really be leaving a hint of a print.

 

[lone wolf]

Depends upon the locality, JLM. Some jurisdictions have higher property taxes than others.

No kidding! Your brilliance astounds me!

 

[VanIsle]

We bought it for around 400,000 five years ago (it is lakefront property). I have no idea what it is worth today. However, when we moved in, we were paying around 5000 $ in property taxes, so I assume assessment has gone up a bit.

We get a property assessment sent to us every year just a brief time before we receive our tax notice. I had a look at a real estate site in and around the area you live in. I wish I could buy a house of that caliber for such a low price. My house is assessed at close to $400,000 and it's only a bungalow that is slightly under 1500 sq. feet. I am about a 3 min. walk to the lake we live near.(there are several lakes right within city limits as Juan can confirm) Here, any house with a peek at the ocean and is similar to my house, is worth about $600,000 - $800,000. I'm glad my taxes are not like yours.

 

[JLM]

If $14.00 an hour is the poverty line it's a darn good thing my husband works and has a pension besides or we would be on the streets with my wage. People in the service industry - waiters/waitresses - make $8.00 an hour in BC (our cheap Prem. won't raise the min. wage and get people off the streets)but a good server can earn no less than $100.00 per day in tips. I work with people who look down their nose at being a waitress yet they work for JP who pays as little as he can get away with. They start at $9.75 an hour and work all kinds of crappy shifts (and pay union dues) when they could do better in the service industry which is only temporary work anyway.
People who bust their ass working usually cannot afford to buy a car so they really do leave a small carbon foot print. Guys like Gore can afford to buy the best electric vehicle available and should not really be leaving a hint of a print.

VanIsle - for once you and I have to disagree. You can not improve things for anyone by increasing the minimum wage- all that happens is EVERYONE gets a raise in pay (When the guy at $8 gets bumped up to $9, what do you suppose the guy at $9 is going to want and so on right to the top?) After that all happens the price of what they are producing mysteriously goes up. Why can't people seem to get that?