Traders could mobilize against the increase

Laurence Houde-Roy

Thursday, 11 January, 2018 13:35

UPDATE
Thursday, 11 January, 2018 22:11

Look at this article

The representative commercial property owners in Quebec is furious about the new mayor of Montreal, and asked him to review his budget.

• READ ALSO : administration Plant admits having ” missed the exit “

Valérie Plante has imposed a 3% increase in taxes for non-residential buildings. If she does not go back on his decision, Peter Sergakis could call the merchants to go out in the street.

“This is a warning. Otherwise, there are possibilities for the events of 1992 will happen again, ” responded Thursday, Mr. Sergakis in the aftermath of the presentation of the first budget of the administration-Plant Dorais, which also imposes a tax hike of 3.3 per cent to homeowners.

photo From Twitter, Yves Poirier

An electoral poster of Project Montreal promised less taxes. In his first budget, Valérie Plante has not increased property taxes beyond the rate of inflation, the water tax is on the rise.

In 1992, the owner of the bar had reacted vehemently to the announcement of a surcharge on non-residential buildings by the administration of mayor Jean Doré. The call to the traders, had led to a series of 33 events in front of city hall during the 33 months of the mandate of the mayor in place, including two events had attracted 5000 people.

Mr. Sergakis had been arrested and then released by the police during one of these events where the main gates of the hotel de ville had been breached by the protesters.

He argues that retailers are already struggling to survive in addition to the increase of taxes that might make them even more evil.

Traders disappointed

“It is I who will have to pay this increase in taxes “, is afraid of Sam Namour, owner of the Gallery the Trolley in Old Montreal. Although it is not the owner of his local, he was very much afraid to see the impact of this tax hike on the rent.

“If I have more expenses, I will have to increase the price of my merchandise, this will be more difficult to sell “, is concerned that Mr Namour.

Although he had voted for Valerie Plant in the last elections, he said he is disappointed that she has not adhered to its commitment not to increase taxes.

Little maneuver

The mayor Plant said in an interview with TVA News that she could not redo a budget for which it has no margin of manoeuvre.

“If there’s one thing that I should do it again with this budget, it would be to explain it better,” she agreed.

The chairman of the executive committee, Benoit Dorais, has also tried to correct the shooting, in an interview with the issuance Quebec Morning. “It seems to miss out on all the account of taxes, up 3.3 percent,” he admitted Thursday morning.

– With the QMI Agency