Heavy industry in New Brunswick could be faced with more taxes if a proposed bill by the opposition Liberals goes through.
Saint John Harbour MLA Gerry Lowe plans to introduce a bill on Tuesday to repeal property tax exemptions for heavy machinery and equipment.
“We just don’t have a fair taxation system in this province when it comes to industry, as far as I’m concerned,” Lowe told our newsroom.
Lowe said including heavy machinery and equipment in the calculation of a property’s assessment value will mean more revenue for municipalities.
In the case of Saint John, Lowe said it would go a long way towards reducing the city’s structural deficit, which is expected to balloon to $15 million by 2021.
“Nobody wants to beat up anybody or put any large amount of taxes on, we just want to talk about it and somehow get some form of taxes on heavy industry machinery,” he said. “It’s the dialogue that I’m looking for.”
Lowe said he is hopeful the People’s Alliance and Green Party will support the bill so it can pass first and second reading and then be studied by a committee.
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Story by Brad Perry
Twitter: @BradMPerry
Email: perry.brad@radioabl.ca
(Photo: New Brunswick Liberal Association/submitted)
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