From the Globe And Mail : Ontario Moves To Ease Property Tax Furor.
The Ontario Finance minister Greg Sorbara said that the Ontario government is freezing property tax assessment for the next two years all but guaranteeing that the controversy surrounding homeowner’s skyrocketing tax bills will not become an issue during next year’s election.
Even though this move was a long time coming, I agree with John Tory (of the Progressive Conservatives) and Howard Hampton (of the New Democratic Party) that the timing is purely political. The complaints of high tax bills started early 2004 and the issue will not be revisited until 2009 well after the 2007 election. Brilliant political move. I just hope they come up with a better system of assessing property than just go for computer modelling that is the currently in place.