In My post You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill - Assessment Appeal Causes Inequities In Taxation Pam McInnes  of Waterloo asked I've also always wondered why, just because you own a home, you have to pay for the school system - pick public, separate, or french immersion, but whether you have children or not you pay into it because you are a homeowner?   I agree school support should not come from property taxes. We need to educate our young people today so they will be productive contributing members of society tomorrow. We also need to present an equality in the education opportunities offered in the various regions of the Province. This can only be accomplished at the Provincial level. They have the ability to put the various boards on an equal footing when it comes to the delivery of ed... 02/25/2010

St. Georges Anglican Church Built on the southern shore of Lake Simcoe the congregation welcomes people of all faiths who visit the beautiful stone church and historic cemetery for services or to walk about the scenic grounds. The church features windows designed and built by the daughters of John Graves Simcoe (the first Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada) and the graceful wood-carvings of the Rev. George Everest.   The cemetery is the last resting place to Canadian authors Stephen Leacock and Mazo de la Roche. Musical concerts that are held monthly in the summer, present some of the finest talents in Ontario.  Mazo de la Roche, is a Canadian Author best know for her 16 novels that became the Jalna Series or Whiteoak Chronicles which cover the story of 100 years (1854 to 1954) of the Whit... 01/19/2010

You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill   Your Assessment Notice May Have been In The Mail Back in November of last year the Municipal Property Assessment Corp (MPAC) began sending out assessment notices for the 2010 property tax year. If you received one then there has been a change in the assessment of your property other than the increase due to the reassessment phase in process. But I Did Not Get A Notice Your Assessment will still be going up due to the 4 year phase in of the 2008 re-assessment. Why Did I Get One By now you should have received a notice of assessment if any of the following has occurred and MPAC is aware of the change: the ownership of your property has changed or if for some reason the legal description has changedthe value has been changed due to an earlier appeal or re... 01/12/2010

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE Christmas Is Over It's Time To Go   Curbside pick up for your Christmas tree this year is one day only - January 11th 2010. They will not be picked up on your regular garbage day. If you miss the collection day you can also take it to the Municipal transfer station on Warden Ave at no charge 01/10/2010

Should Municipal Government Be Scrapped In a recent Article in a Local Paper one Georgina resident is asking the town to help eliminate the nine municipal governments within York Region. He is asking the town to eliminate itself or at least study the possibility. He seems to think that it would save the taxpayer money but I would disagree with him. There would be a push to harmonize the pay scale across the Region, to the highest level,  and there would be an increases in the Regional bureaucracy Most, if not all and more, of the employees of the municipal governments would find jobs in that new bureaucracy at higher rates of pay. Were would the savings come from? As I see it the only reduction would be in the number of members of council with many that remain getting pay increases. I b... 01/01/2010

  While some ponder over the meaning of a blue moon, others make resoloutions, and still others work on plans for the new year, but as T.S.Eliot says "to make an end is to make a beggining". To get on with the new we have to get rid of the old.   "What can be said in New Year rhymes,That's not been said a thousand times?The new years come, the old years go,We know we dream, we dream we know.We rise up laughing with the light,We lie down weeping with the night.We hug the world until it stings,We curse it then and sigh for wings.We live, we love, we woo, we wed,We wreathe our prides, we sheet our dead.We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear,And that's the burden of a year." Ella Wheeler Cox Happy New Year 12/31/2009

As part of the Cross Canada 45,000 kilometre 106 day route the Olympic torch passed through Georgina on Friday on it's way to British Columbia and the 2010 games. Some of the route is by land some by sea and some by air. Here are some photos we took as my grandchildren and I watched it pass by.     12/21/2009

  You and "YOUR" Property Tax Bill -- My Prescription Provided Pain Relief   By now you should have paid your final tax bill for the year and it likely hurt because it was up substantially from last year.   The question is - did you pay more than your fair share or less?   I felt I was going to be paying more than my fair share. The big red flag for me was that my assessment jumped 34.33%, more than double the average increase, while the average home's assessed value went up just over 14% . While it is unlikely anyone who felt their home was under assessed would appeal their assessments many who felt they were over assessed took the time to do a little research and fought for some fairness in their assessment and the resulting tax bill. For me it was a matter of going to the assessment ... 11/15/2009

The Eleventh Hour Of the Eleventh Day - Remembrance Day In remembrance of all who put themselves in Harms way so that we could,and continue too, be able to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.   In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. — Lt.-Col. John McCrae   "Two minutes on November 11th" As you watch the video w... 11/02/2009

National Waste Reduction Week October 19th to the 25th Visit www.wrwcanada.com for suggestions on wastes reduction for your home. There is a frequently asked questions section "What Should I do with?" and links to a few other informative sites such as GreenerChoices.org The site has many links that will take you to information on waste reduction information, activities and more all  across Canada. 10/19/2009

Fire Prevention Week Oct 4th - 10th The Fire that Sparked a Tradition ... Chicago, 1871 Did you know that the Great Chicago Fire led to the establishment of fire Prevention Week. Did you know the great Chicago fire lasted 2 days October 8th and 9th in 1871 and killed more than 250 people, left thousands homeless and burned more than 2,000 acres was the catalyst for fire prevention week. This fire forever changed the way public officials viewed fire safety. To commemorate the event on its fortieth anniversary fire officials felt the most appropriate way was to inform and educate the public and since 1922 Fire Prevention week has been observed on the Sunday through to the Saturday that October 8th and 9th falls on. To learn more about the history visit. The Great Chicago Fire and the Web ... 10/03/2009

Eaglewood Folk Festival - Pefferlaw Onatrio - A Stay-cation Destination August 28th, 29th, and 30th Georgina (Pefferlaw) Ontario Bring Your Bicycle! Help power the awesome Afro beat of Mr. Something Something, with their SoundCycle setup for the  Bicycle Powered Dance Party.  (they hook your bike up to their rig, you bike-on-the-spot and power the sound system.)  This is all happening at 3:00pm on Sunday in the also with Jory Nash and Digging Roots.   Coming to Pefferlaw for the Eaglewood Festival on the Sunday, then bring your bicycle.       Eaglewood Bids Adieu and Welcomes the New Now in it's 20th year, the Eaglewood Folk Festival has been celebrating outstanding Canadian folk music performers in the beautiful and intimate pine tree acreage located in Pefferlaw, ON.  For almost every... 08/23/2009

Georgina - Live, Work and Play - A Year Round Stay-Cation Destination Georgina offers the ability to live, work and play within its boundaries. Located at the top of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and within the boundaries of York Region, Georgina is part of Central Ontario's "Getaway Country" Here you can enjoy; the culture, lakeside living, wide open spaces, sandy beaches, Municipal and Provincial Parks, boating, hunting, fishing, and recreational facilities. As well as having an estimated 16,000+ households and being home to over 46,000 residents the Town of Georgina, know as Ontario's first "Cottage Country", is a four seasons recreational and tourist destination. While the town of Georgina is better know for some of its individual communities such as Jackson's Point, Keswick, Peffe... 07/26/2009

International Jazz and Art Festival To Be Held At Udora's Camp Jõekääru   Udora - A community where there are more private roads than public roads. A Place where neighbours help neighbours. A place that few know exists even though it appears on the Ontario Road Maps. Originally known as Snoddon Corners it was renamed in the early 1860s when it came time to select a name for the post office.  Udora is located only 15 Minutes from Lake Simcoe which is know internationally for its; swimming, boating, fishing and fishing competitions. Chances are if you know where Udora is you either live there, or pass through on the way to your summer cottage perhaps even stopping in at One of the last original General Stores in Ontario still in operation, and still distributing mail to the local resident... 07/23/2009

With it's ideal location, stretching along the south shore of Lake Simcoe, the various communities of Georgina are host to many events that are a draw to this tourist orientated town. In the winter there is always snowmobiling, ice fishing and of course the Canadian Ice Fishing Championship. In the summer there's boating and angling along with The Blue Bridge Festival The Eaglewood Folk Festival, the Georgina Studio Tour and of course the Purple Turtle Art Festival. Earlier this year Georgina lost a Landmark when the Red Barn Theatre was destroyed by fire. Local Artist Gail Young was asked to paint a watercolour of The Red Barn Theatre as the draw prize. Anyone attending the show has the opportunity of filling out a ballot for a chance to take home the painting. The draw will take place... 07/01/2009

Now in it's third year the the "Blue Bridge Festival" continues to build the "Bridge" with a river of music flowing across York Region. Designed to build bridges between the communities of York Region it begins in Jacksons Point includes events in Newmarket and culminates in Unionville. It build bridges between the arts, community groups and professionals, in both Upper and Lower York Region. It is a festival where internationally known musicians and poets mingle with regional performers and audiences of all ages. The Blue Bridge's eclectic concerts are unique in that they offer a combination of classical chamber music, a live orchestra and massed choir, cabaret songs, opera singers, poetry and more. "Ardeleana and the renowned Yellow River Ensemble, (traditional Chinese instruments) wi... 06/01/2009

The Town of Georgina has arranged with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) to have public open house sessions for property owners to meet with Assessors to discuss any property assessment issues. When Tuesday, Dec 9th from 8:30am - 4:30pmWednesday, December 10th from 12:00 noon - 8:00pm Where At the civic centre in the first floor council chambers. Take Your Assessment Notice Taking your assessment notice with you will make it easier for the assessor to find the information on your property. While you are going to get answers about your assessment they will also ask you questions about your property to ensure the information they have is accurate. My past experiences with this process is they offer very little information in answer to your questions but that may just be... 11/29/2008

  Statistics As explained in my last post Understanding Residential Property Assessment in Ontario the assessment world uses statistical analysis in determining your property assessment. If the information used in that statistical analysis is flawed or incomplete then the analysis itself will be flawed and resulting assessments will be incorrect. Benjamin Disraeli once said there are three kinds of lies: lies damned lies and statistics. Evan Esar is credited with the statement that statistics is the only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions. Meanwhile Garbage In, Garbage Out even if it is taken as gospel it can still be grabage. "Garbage In, Garbage Out (abbreviated to GIGO) is a phrase in the field of computer science or ICT. It is... 11/09/2008

Supporters of full market value assessment (Current Value Assessment or CVA as it's now called) would have you believe that the value on your assessment notice represents the market value of your property as of a given date, currently January 1st 2008 for taxation in 2009. If they were to study the assessment process they would find this may not be so as a single formula or assessment "model" as it is called by the assessment world is used to determine the value of all properties in a given area or neighbourhood. The multiple regressional analysis (MRA) process utilized by the assessment department requires large numbers of sales to accurately predict values. While the process is capable of producing quality assessed values in municipalities where the housing stock is primarily all new ... 10/27/2008

OUCH IS RIGHT!!! Have you ever noticed when a public official is talking about your money they always break it down to the smallest common denominator they can. Well your new assessment notice is no different if you look down the right hand side of the notice you will see that the average residential assesment will go up by 3.64% in Georgina for your 2009 tax bill calulation. But what does that really tell you and what would you do if you took a fast glance. 3.64% thats not bad right --- what they are not putting into words is that the average assessed home in Georgina went up from about $220,000 to about $252,000 or a little better than 14.5% with a four year phase in. But again what does that really tell you. It does not tell you how much your taxes will go up because the mill rate wi... 09/26/2008