Mayors to press MPAC for tax break talks

Several mayors from northwestern Ontario are looking forward to talking to the president of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, as they grapple with the reality of fewer industrial tax dollars from reduced property assessments.

The president was to speak at the annual meeting of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association in Thunder Bay on Thursday.

Thunder Bay's mayor, Keith Hobbs, said he wants to talk about a reduced assessment for the Resolute Mill. The assessment is currently $72 million, but Resolute wants that changed to $29 million.

"It's pretty frightening from a tax-payers perspective, because [we may have] to pick up $3 million dollars a year in taxes that we're going to lose ... and pay back $7.5 million."

Dryden's mayor will also be in line to discuss the mill reassessment in his town, which is costing his community millions.

Craig Nuttall said council is refusing to pay MPAC the $79,000 that it owes, until the problem is resolved.

"I think they have to sit down with us and they have to sit down with the minister and just say, 'hey, here's what the problem is,'" he said. "If we can get realistic figures coming out of them, we'll pay them."

Nuttall said he also has a meeting scheduled with the deputy minister of finance to discuss the situation.

The two-day NOMA conference, being held at the Victoria Inn, brings together mayors and councillors from across the region to talk about economic issues and infrastructure.

The event attracts some high profile provincial ministers, as well as opposition leaders.