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Taxing Fort Resolution's patience

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Resolution (Apr 19/04) - For years, Angus Beaulieu -- like many other people in Fort Resolution -- has not paid his property tax bill with the GNWT.

"I've never paid a cent," says Beaulieu, who notes he doesn't even open the bills any more when they arrive in the mail. He is not sure how much he owes.

The tax dispute goes back to the 1980s. Many Fort Res residents oppose the taxes, claiming there was no consultation, no accurate assessments and no determination whether the taxes violate treaty rights.

The values of the properties were determined by an aerial survey.

Beaulieu, who owns three properties, says the process was screwed-up right from the beginning.

The 69-year-old says he wants to see the issue cleared up because it is an aggravation he doesn't need at his age. "It bothers me."

Chief Robert Sayine of the Deninu Ku'e First Nation argues the property tax was not properly introduced in the 1980s.

"I must owe about $9,000 now," Sayine says, who has never paid the bill.

Treaty rights are a factor in the dispute, he says, but adds it is incorrect to think it is the most important argument.

Sayine says the government has threatened some people with court action in letters, but it has never followed through. "There's no way of telling whether they will do it or not."

He says some people pay because they do not want to risk being taken to court or losing their property, although he notes Fort Resolution's economy is not strong enough to support the tax.

The community wants the issue settled, he says. "I want the proper process to take place."

Clean slate wanted

Sayine would like to see the tax bills wiped clean and the process started over.

Wiping the slate clean is unlikely to happen, according to Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Henry Zoe.

Zoe recognizes some people in Fort Res don't want to pay until land claims are settled.

"But it doesn't preclude the existing law," he says, explaining the government has to abide by the existing legislation.

Zoe says the property tax issue also exists in some other smaller communities, but not to the extent as among Fort Res residents.

"But a lot of them realize that, if you don't pay, you get a bad credit rating," he says.

The government has never taken anyone to court in Fort Res over unpaid property taxes and it has never confiscated property.

The minister would like to see the assessment rolls updated. Zoe has proposed an assessment team go to Res, along with financial officials, to explain the property tax.

"Hopefully, once they understand, (the Department of) Finance can bill properly based on new assessment rolls," he says.

A new assessment -- from the ground -- would allow adjustments to tax bills, he says.

The minister hopes property owners would then start paying the tax bills, if they feel they are at an accurate and reasonable level.