Tonight’s Chatham-Kent council meeting should be interesting, as that rural-urban divide could be on full display.
Council will be discussing eliminating the area rating for policing, street lights and horticulture. Currently, tax rates depend on the services that are received.
If approved, it means that all residents will pay the same for policing, streetlights and horticulture, no matter where you live.
For rural residents—in places like the former Chatham Township or Dover, it could mean paying a bit more in taxes, for urban residents in areas like Chatham, Wallaceburg and Dresden, a bit less.
The purpose for the changes is to modernize and streamline the municipality’s taxes by simplifying property tax calculations and evenly distributing the cost of services among those who benefit from them.
