WINNIPEG: Today's Speech from the Throne has finally offered some much-needed relief to Manitoba's rural communities with a 33 per cent reduction in school taxes on farmland, and an additional 17 per cent reduction in 2005. The province has also committed to amending the City of Winnipeg Charter to allow for a reduction in Winnipeg's business tax.

"For years the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has been calling on the provincial government to ease (and eventually eliminate) the school tax burden on farmland, and finally, they have listened," stated Manitoba director Adrienne Batra. "Any property tax relief is a welcome change from a traditionally tax and spend government."

According to the Keystone Agricultural Producers, who like the CTF have been advocating for a more equitable system for education funding, in 2003 farmers' education property tax bill consumed nearly 28 per cent of their net income. "Although the program is not ideal, as it will be a rebate program that farmers will have to apply for, it is a significant step towards the complete removal of school taxes on farmland," said Batra.

The Speech from the Throne is a document that is typically reserved for stating what the government's intention will be for the next legislative session with little to no detail given. But the NDP government used today's speech to announce some much-needed tax relief for Manitobans.
"During last summer's civic election, Mayor Sam Katz signed a CTF pledge to reduce the onerous business tax in Winnipeg, today that commitment is one step closer with the province's changes to the City of Winnipeg Charter," added Batra.

"The province has brought forward a throne speech that acknowledges some of the challenges in both our rural communities and the City of Winnipeg, the key now of course is to ensure these positive changes are implemented," concluded Batra.
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For further information contact:

Adrienne Batra Wk: 204.982.2150 Cell: 204.227.5561






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