Seniors Group Has Property Taxes Waived
By Robert Thomas
Original intent by the Council of the day is the reason why Council of today has agreed to waive unforeseen property taxes for the space used by Moose Jaw and District Seniors Inc.
By selling the City’s share of the building the space occupied by the Moose Jaw and District Seniors became taxable.
“I think the intention was if there’s a corporate entity in there they would, a private business, pay tax on their portion of the property. But the nonprofit housing upstairs and activity centre, the dining room and what not those things would not pay property tax. I think that was the (original) intention,” Mayor Tolley said when asked by Moose Jaw Today reporter Jason G Antonio at the post Council scrum about it.
Moose Jaw and District Seniors rent space in the Timothy Eaton Centre located at 510 Main Street North. The building, which at one time housed Moose Jaw’s Eaton’s store, was re-developed about 32 years ago as low rental housing for seniors as well as space for retail and a nonprofit seniors group - MJ Independent photo
The Mayor spoke about the conversion of the former Eaton’s department store into social housing and space that houses non-profit groups as well as commercial businesses over 30 years ago was never intended to see non-profits pay property tax.
“I think the intention was to only ask for assessment on the portion of the building that were used for commercial enterprises.”
It needs to be noted not only was the Mayor serving as an alderman (today called Councillor) at the time the Eaton’s store was redeveloped but also his mother, the late Marion Tolley, was instrumental in getting the project started.
Mayor Tolley said the decision to waive property, taxes came after looking at the Moose Jaw and District Seniors Inc books.
The decision was also made in the backdrop of the the efforts the group has made to try to improve their financial situation.
“And I know that I’ve said, the Moose Jaw and District Seniors, who operate at (the) Eaton Centre, they’ve been doing a lot of fundraising and special events and I applaud them for that. They’re trying to solve their own problems,” he said.
Mayor Tolley said the two largest seniors groups in the community - Moose Jaw and District Seniors and the Cosmo’s Centre - are both having financial problems and have asked the City for financial assistance.
“The seniors groups in Moose Jaw both they and Easton’s Centre and the Cosmo Centre are all of them, struggling to pay the bills and they’ve come to us at budget time. I’ve been here for two budgets and both times they came here and wanted concessions and some help to keep the doors open.