Chatham-Kent council has decided to not increase its farm tax ratio.
The motion to change the ratio by one percent from 22 percent to 23 percent failed in a tie eight-eight vote.
Farmers are struggling, with increased production, gas, fertilizer and seed costs, said councillor Mary Clare Latimer, who asked that council to wait until after the 2024 MPAC evaluation assessment to reassess what the impact on taxpayers will be and make a decision then on whether to increase the farm tax ratio.
The motion to increase farm tax ratios had a sense of deja vu.
Council has looked at increasing the farm tax ratio in the recent past. In March of last year, administration brought forward a recommendation to council to consider increasing the farm tax ratio to 25%, phasing in 1% per year for the tax years 2021 to 2023.
Council turned down the recommendation last year as well, deciding to wait until updated MPAC assessment values were available.
Currently, Chatham-Kent has one of the lowest farm tax ratios in the province, with the majority of the province’s municipalities having a farm tax ratio of 25 percent.
