January 12, 2024

Letter to the Editor: Talisman money is taxpayers money!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR — Grey Highlands has over $1.3 million dollars of back taxes (from Talisman) sitting in its account and this Council refuses to use it for the purpose it was collected for.

In 2011, Talisman Resort closed its doors and stopped paying taxes.

These taxes were counted on in every successive budget but never collected. In essence, the rest of the taxpayers of Grey Highlands covered the shortfall in the following years. Eventually MGH seized the property and sold it. They now sit on that money and this Council REFUSES to use it for this budget.

That money is ours. We covered the lost revenue and the only reason the municipality was able to seize and sell the property was in lieu of back taxes.

Mayor McQueen motioned to use this money for this budget and the rest of Council refused.

This is wrong!

Maybe our elected officials could enlighten the residents on this page as to why they will not use our money for our taxes?

Please contact every member of Council and and insist our money is used to reduce this budget.

Gary Gingras, resident
Grey Highlands

It is our money.

 

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