Dear editor:

Our town government appears to maintain a two-tier system when it comes to administering our property tax and land use planning approval processes, depending on whether one is an ordinary homeowner or a wealthy landowner operating a business.

If you are an average homeowner, you are coping with a residential property tax increase of 7.92 per cent this year, far in excess of the rate of general inflation and the average increase in surrounding municipalities.

On the other hand, if you are a business operator born into well-connected families, you can get a tax break by operating under the farm winery category while offering all the same services that only a larger estate winery is allowed to offer.

Our bylaw enforcement officers turn a blind eye to this flagrant bylaw non-compliance over a prolonged period.

But if you are an average Joe homeowner who wants to build a simple Costco awning structure in a kit over your rear deck, and it exceeds a prescribed size, you’re forced to pay a $150 application fee and your request will be denied if you can’t produce blueprint drawings.

This uneven playing field is unfair and must change.

Businesses must pay their fair share of commercial taxes to reduce the reliance on residential ratepayers and our bylaw enforcement officers must enforce the bylaws as written for everyone, not focus on harassing homeowners looking to create a little shade in their backyards.

Steve McGuinness
Virgil