The Gallant government says the province is getting out of the property tax assessment business.
Premier Brian Gallant made the abrupt announcement in Moncton today and noted how a new independent agency will be set up with legislation to create it expected this fall.
Gallant says Service New Brunswick officials have made errors and it’s important to restore confidence in the system.
He says assessors used arbitrary formulas to reduce estimated increases in 2017 and in 2011 with thousands of errors every year.
Premier Gallant explains what happened in 2017 #propertytax assessments #nbpoli #nbnews pic.twitter.com/q3AKX8dPn2
— 91.9The Bend News (@919TheBendNews) April 3, 2017
Gallant adds there is no deadline for New Brunswickers to report errors.
In addition, the deadline for appeals has been extended until August 1st.
Premier Gallant outlines action government taking over #propertytax assessments #nbpoli #nbnews pic.twitter.com/911dzuGpRG
— 91.9The Bend News (@919TheBendNews) April 3, 2017
The province has named Justice Joseph T. Robertson to undertake a comprehensive review of the assessment system and his findings will be released by late summer.
Meantime, the Opposition Progressive Conservatives wants to see Service New Brunswick minister Ed Doherty resign over the property tax assessment fiasco.
Riverview MLA and finance critic Bruce Fitch says the cabinet ignored warnings from civil servants about fast-tracking a new computer system.
“You heard the premier say it numerous times… inappropriate actions. You heard the minister apologize. I was hoping he would go further and step down or the premier would tell the minister to step down,” he notes.
Fitch adds the Gallant government is in full crisis mode and believes Minister Ed Doherty should resign from cabinet to help restore the confidence of New Brunswickers.
