| Thornhill homeowners get property tax break
While land values keep rising, Thornhill homeowners keep groaning under steadily rising property taxes. Relief, though, is on the way, thanks to Betty von Hardenberg, who took on BC Assessment this spring and won. While appealing the value of a Thornhill property on behalf of an elderly couple, she learned that residents can have their properties revalued, and possibly their taxes trimmed, through a section of the Assessment Act. BC Assessment lawyers conferred and agreed. And to make sure everyone knew it, the agency hand-delivered letters in April explaining it all to residents in 65 Thornhill homes. “I want people to know that this is available to them," von Hardenberg said Wednesday. Many people didn't even know about the option and weren't told about it when they inquired by phone, she added.
Merkel faces rebellion as MPs demand early tax cuts
Angela Merkel could be forced to renounce her pledge to eradicate Germany's budget deficit by 2011 in the face of a challenge by rebellious MPs calling for immediate tax cuts. The German chancellor, who returns to Berlin from Latin America next week, is facing a confrontation with MPs claiming to represent nearly 90 per cent of her Christian Democratic Union's parliamentary group who this week demanded tax cuts as early as next year. .
New York's Gas Tax Debate
As gas prices continue to climb in Western New York State there are competing political proposals on the state gas tax to provide some relief to motorists. There is also some confusion as some stations may offer a separate price for credit versus cash. One local service station is charging $4.03 for regular on its sign while it also offers $3.99 for "Cash". The station owner would not discuss the issue on camera with 2 On Your Side but did say he wants to offer a cash discount to customers. State Law prohibits a surcharge on credit cards. But the State Attorney General's office notes it is a gray area with a potential loophole for cash discounts based on some court decisions. In Albany, state lawmakers are offering differing approaches to ease the pump price which carries some of the highest state gas taxes in the country.
Gov. orders $10 million in property tax rebates to Lake homeowners
CROWN POINT | Gov. Mitch Daniels ordered the Lake County auditor Friday to restore $9.7 million in property tax rebates to about 30,000 homeowners who were improperly denied the relief.(PDF Document: Gov. Daniels letter to Lake County Auditor)Daniels ordered the immediate cutting of supplementary refund checks to those taxpayers -- many of whom received $0 rebate notices last week.At a news conference Friday, Daniels said the rebates were withheld from the Lake County homeowners -- who primarily live in Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting -- "through innocent confusion.""There are 29,000 property owners -- homeowners in some of the poorest neighborhoods who deserve more money," Daniels said.County Auditor Peggy Katona said Friday her office had begun generating the checks, which she said will go out by the end of the month."I'm happy this is finally resolved, and the rest will be getting their rebates," she said.The governor's intervention culminates a series of complaints from taxpayers who had been waiting months for rebates authorized by the Indiana General Assembly only to receive murky letters stating their rebates had been reduced because they already had received other tax breaks.State Rep.
AIG Commits $1 Million to Support Relief and Rebuilding Efforts in . China s Sichuan Province
China s Sichuan Province 16/05/2008 15:53:00 Business Wire American International Group, Inc. (AIG) today announced a US $1 million (approximately 7 million RMB) donation to support relief and rebuilding efforts following the recent 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck China s Sichuan Province. AIG also announced that it would match all employee contributions to the AIG Disaster Relief Fund. "AIG is deeply committed to providing financial assistance to our friends in China who have been greatly affected by this devastating natural catastrophe. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chinese people during this extremely difficult time," said AIG President and CEO Martin J. Sullivan. "Our contributions will hopefully help residents of Sichuan Province to begin the process of healing and rebuilding.
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