Hampton gets taxpayers an extension

News Release
Howard Hampton, MPP

Yesterday, December 2, Hampton sent out an open letter to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty demanding relief for rural property owners who were being hit with property tax bills during the holiday season.
After Hampton’s revelation sparked outrage, the Premier acted by agreeing to push the payment deadlines to December 31 from the original deadlines of December 3 (first instalment) and December 17 (second instalment).
While McGuinty’s move buys some time for many homeowners in the region, Hampton says the measure does not go far enough to help those already struggling to make ends meet during the winter months.
“These bills should have never come out in the winter to begin with,” says Hampton. “December is a month when families are paying high home heating costs, which are already higher thanks to McGuinty’s HST, and worrying about the demands of the Christmas season. Property taxes should be the furthest thing from their mind.”
The bills, according the to Ministry of Revenue’s website, were supposed to be sent out this past past summer, however the Government failed to live up to its own deadline and are now punishing the taxpayer, says Hampton.
“At the very least McGuinty should have extended the deadline further, into January or February, but once again hard working people are being forced to pay for the Liberal Government’s mistake,” he notes.