| Times Colonist |
Saturday, November 01, 2008
WHISTLER - Premier Gordon Campbell announced four more measures today at the B.C. Liberal Party convention to protect people from the impact of the economic crisis.
The moves are designed for homeowners and seniors facing mandatory conversions of their RRSPs into annuities.
The government is going to fix the assessed value of property in B.C. at 2007 levels, rather than the figures calculated for 2008. The decision will have the effect of lowering the officially assessed values from what they might have been at July 1, 2008.
Assessments are done every July 1, but the housing market slumped sharply after the 2008 assessment was completed. Relying on the this year's assessment would have meant homeowners would be getting assessment statements early next year that were far higher than the real market value of their homes.
The move is expected to avoid a deluge of appeals from owners who think the assessed value is too high.
As well, property owners who can't afford their taxes will be able to defer the bill for up to two years, an option formerly available only to people over 55.
"We're saying that if you're in a tough financial time right now and you just can't make the ends meet on your property tax, you can have a deferral for a year or two years ... as long as you have a 15 per cent equity in your home," Campbell told 1,050 party members at the convention, held at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
The effective loan will be at the prime rate, he added.
Campbell said he will also advocate in Ottawa next week for a federal-provincial conference devoted to the idea of eliminating the mandatory conversion of retirement savings to income funds at age 71.
People reaching 71 now are being forced to convert their RRSPs after historic drops in value over the past few months.
As well, B.C. will be protecting RRSP deposits in banks from creditors, as such funds deposited with insurance companies already are.
Campbell said there are more moves to come in the weeks ahead as the economic crisis becomes the dominant item on the provincial agenda.
New Democrats support the RRSP measure, but said Campbell was scrambling to do damage control.
"This is take two," NDP house leader Mike Farnworth said, referring to Campbell's Oct. 22 announcements of tax breaks and temporary ferry-fare cuts. He said the premier's earlier speech clearly "didn't resonate with the voters" and forced Campbell to "scramble to repair his image" after the Liberals lost two byelections to the NDP Wednesday.
The Opposition will remain focused on homelessness, education and student debt load, he said.
NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston said the four "policy wonk points" need much more elaboration.
Much of Campbell's high-octane, partisan speech was an enthusiastic denunciation of the NDP, with ominous warnings about the decision to be made at the election next May.
"It took seven years to fill up the debt hole the NDP dug and we're not going to start digging again," he said, in the course of multiple standing ovations.
Campbell also confronted skepticism in his own party about the carbon tax, insisting it is the right thing to do for future generations.
Organizers cued live video of Campbell's newborn grandson to show on the seven big screens in the hall as he urged delegates to think of future generations.
- With a file from Canwest News Service
lleyne@tc.canwest.com
【明報專訊】繼早前推出保護本省經濟的10點策略後，省長金寶爾(Gordon Campbell)昨日再提出一系列新措施，協助本省的業主及耆英渡過經濟難關。
首先，省府宣布將物業估值凍結在2007年的水平，適用包括個人、商業、市府所擁有的物業。各市府每年都根據省府的物業估價，向居民來收取住宅及商業地稅。
金寶爾說，省府知道，卑詩的物業價格自從對上一次的估價、即2007年7月後，出現了很大的波動，為避免出現估價高過物業市值的情況，以及穩定人心、減少混亂，且讓各市府易於策劃地稅，省府決定將物業估價凍結在2007年的水平，讓物業市場有時間穩定下來。
此外，省府還推出一項短期的延遲繳交地稅計劃，容許擁有其資產值15%、又能提出證明自己正因為目 前的金融海嘯而出現嚴重財務困難的業主們，延遲繳交地稅兩年，這些欠稅會以最優惠利率(prime rate)計算。如果業主不將物業出售，則在這期間內 毋須立刻繳交所欠稅款，另業主也可選擇提前繳稅。
金寶爾說，這項措施可以避免「手頭緊」的業主，將物業按給銀行來支付地稅，又可以確保各市政府可以收到稅款。此外，又因為延遲繳交地稅計劃屬於低風險的「安全貸款」(secured loan)，因此也不會影響到省的財政預算。
除了保護業主外，省府也宣布，保障省民透過銀行購買的註冊退休計劃(RRSP)的投資，即是說，債主追債，也不能追到省民的RRSP投資中，保護省民的退休金。
金寶爾說，其實類似的保障計劃，一直適用於透過保險公司購買的RRSP投資，因此省府此次只是將同類的保障，擴大至透過銀行購買的RRSP投資而已，同時也填補了RRSP投資保障的空白。
金寶爾也說，在即將舉行的全國首長會議中，將會向總理哈珀提出召開全國特別會議，提議毋須國民必須在71歲時，將所有RRSP及註冊退休收入基金(RRIF)取出。換言之，即使超過71歲，國民仍然可以在RRSP中繼續儲蓄，並可享受RRSP的稅務優惠。
