Petition calls for patronage after massive tax hike in Montreal | City news

A bilingual Change.org petition calls on Prime Minister François Legault to take custody of the city of Montreal over the sharp increase in many commercial and industrial property taxes over the past two years. The petition was brought by two owners of commercial properties in St. Laurent. until SuburbPay attention before the district council meeting starts in February.

“In 2024, commercial and industrial property owners in the City of Montreal have received an incredible increase of between 15% and 20% plus on their municipal properties,” the petition states. “In 2023, it was 22%!” As a property owner, this makes absolutely no sense! An inflation-adjusted increase of nearly 39% in two years is unbelievable. As a result, inflation rises: renters pay more, consumers pay more, and the cycle continues.”

Legault is asked to place Montreal under guardianship “to put an end to these incredible annual increases. “Furthermore, we are requesting a class action lawsuit for all tenants and commercial and industrial property owners on the island of Montreal.”

The petition can be viewed at www.change.org/p/creation-de-l-inflation-par-la-ville-de-montr%C3%A9al-inflation-creation-by-the-city-of-mtl? utm_source=starter_dashboard_page_qr_code.

Alfred Desivita, a Rosemont resident, owns a 5,000-square-foot postal equipment business in an industrial building on Sartelon in St. Laurent. Suburb His property taxes have gone up $5,000 in the last two years — his bill this year is more than $16,800.” I wasn't the only one with this increase — I asked my neighbors on the street and we all got the same increase, 17 percent,” he added. . “Last year, this figure was 22 percent. What will happen next year? Another 17 percent?” The business owner says that owners like him receive less services, such as not being able to access eco-centers.

Jimmy Metaxas, who owns a 3,500-square-foot industrial condominium with his brother in Pitfield and leases a paper business, said his taxes have gone up about the same amount in the past two years. “It's getting ridiculous, my bill is going up to $14,000. It has grown by 40 percent in two years. It's really getting out of hand — we're talking about $1,200 a month just for taxes. There is also a school tax – I don't know what will happen. If we are talking about two to three percent inflation, we will have six times more taxes.”

At the council meeting, Desivita addressed Mayor Alan DeSousa on the issue, saying it was “abnormal” for the Plante administration to raise taxes.

“Are you spending your budget on business?”

DeSousa said former executive committee chair Rosemont City Councilor Dominique Ollivier “created the proposed budget for council” and that she, city councilor and Montreal opposition leader Aref Salem and city councilor Anna Nazarian also questioned the budget and voted against it. he is.

“We have found many places where we can and need to reduce administrative costs (to reduce tax payments). We made constructive recommendations to the administration, saying that average residential growth of 4.9 percent and average non-residential growth of 4.6 percent is too high in the current economic context. The administration refused to consider it. We've found ways to reduce everyone's tax bill by at least one percent.”

Desivita invited DeSousa to visit his business neighbors.

“My neighbor is a plumber. He has 35 plumbers and he cut 10 this week!”

“Your concern is our concern,” DeSouza said, adding that business owners should also bring their concerns to Montreal City Council. He also noted Suburb A much higher than average tax increase for some property owners was the result of the assessment changes.