: Sn | RATT ALAM LER IT ot LSRITISH COLUMBIA We’ve said it before. But never has ere been a greater sense of urgency to Say it again: May Day. e’re not just referring to the Mternational workers’ holiday which year is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and which this issue of the Tribune marks, _ We're also sounding that International signal of stress — sounded when planes are 80ing down or ships are sinking. While the Tribune’s ship of state may be far from foundering, we think we're Justified — and we think you'll agree — that we've got to sound the May day’ alarm at May Day. With all of the Tribune’s press clubs and individual supporters reporting their tallies so far in this year’s financial drive, we have a sum total of $11,000 raised to keep the paper afloat in 1986. That’s $11,000, out of a target of $95,000. By contrast — and we mean contrast — readers and supporters had turned in more than $25,000 by this time last year. At this writing, we’re almost five weeks into the 1986 press drive. The drive ends with the Victory Banquet June 21 — in only seven short weeks. No one has to.be a mathematician to figure out that the rate of income is drastically slow this year. We know there are demands on everyone’s time. In Vancouver, the nine-day peace festival has commanded the full attention of our supporters. No sooner is that finished than celebrations over labor’s international holiday begin. In several communities preparations are underway to mark the 100th anniversary of the Haymarket Massacre that has become known far and wide as May Day. All these affairs can’t help but divert our friends’ attention from the press drive. That’s a fact we must acknowledge. But that’s all the more reason why, in the weeks following, we Sounding our ‘may day’ on May Day need a redoubled effort for the annual fundraiser. Those thousands of B.C. citizens who turn out to march for an end to cruise testing in Canada, for no Canadian involvement in Star Wars and for an end to concessions demands and anti-labor legislation, need the coverage and analysis that only the Tribune can provide. So in sounding our ‘may day’ on May Day, were making a plea for the continued success of the peace and labor movement. Your response by putting the paper over the target will ensure that 1986 is truly a banner year. Burnaby council hit for resident tax hike ngt™aby taxpayers are being forced to Bion the burden of taxation while corpo- , Beane getting millions of dollars in Unie; taxes from both the province and Pain Pal council, civic activist Dave *Y has charged. piaitey, an economist with the Trade a esearch Bureau, urged the munici- in perl April 21 to reject bylaws reduc- and 5 Tporate property tax by 18 per cent, ty Mend the city budget bylaw to restore Years vices eroded during the last three mgt, dominated by the right wing Mire by Voters Association (BVA), rejected buy YS arguments and passed the bylaws, apd said his position has been batig favorably by local ratepayer organ- tits; 8 2nd local trade unionists may yet be Tn council to reverse its decision. 4 brief to council Fairey charged that erat Ylaws — governing the annual tig), 28 budget, tax rates and an indus- fo; , *tebate to Trans Mountain Pipelines taxes Minor expansion — meant higher Nay, With less municipal services for Bur- ai Omeowners. ‘on Mey called the residential property tax tlon i‘ the most regressive forms of taxa- “Th Our total tax system. tman.. PPOperty tax that homeowners and have to pay to local government Lixo no Telation to their ability to pay ®Vern: © increase the burden of local tty; pet taxation on residential prop- lly of © increase the inequity and regressiv- ey, 4 © total tax system on persons,” he Rar. My t°Y cited a B.C. Central Credit Union Of th Which found that Burnaby levies one ‘Munie Ushest tax bills — among seven Miner alties — to single-family home- He found some backing on council for his appeal to amend the tax rate bylaw to reflect the 1983 distribution of taxation, which he said would mean only a one-per cent increase on the home tax bill. Aldermen Doug Drummond and Lee Rankin from the Burnaby Citizens Associa- tion were defeated in their attempt to reduce marginally the 2.5 per cent tax bill shift from industrial-commercial to residential proper- ties proposed by BVA Ald. Vic Stusiak. In making his argument to council, Stu- siak, a Surrey industrialist, argued that Burnaby homeowners pay only $1 for every $3 per $1,000 paid by the municipality’s industries and businesses. But Fairey says the figure is misleading because, “‘when you add all the provincial and municipal tax breaks and concessions granted the corporations, you find industry pays far less.” In his brief Fairey lists several tax conces- sions enjoyed by the municipality’s big bus- iness, including: ee e An exemption in business and indus- trial property values and increased exemp- tion from equipment and machinery taxes introduced in 1983. Provincially, 61 per cent of all business and industrial property was tax-exempt by 1985, with 34 per cent of all such properties in» Burnaby exempt for school tax purposes; e A three-year phase-out of corporate capital taxes, a small business employment ’ income tax credit and a freeze on machinery and equipment property tax assessments, all introduced in the 1985 provincial budget; e A three-year phase-out of machinery and equipment property taxes for school taxing purposes in 1985; e A phased reduction in industrial and commercial property assessments for school tax purposes in 1985; MAY DAY GREETINGS @ The introduction of the Provincial Municipal Partnership Program — dubbed “Partners in Enterprise” — and the Special Enterprise Zone and Tax Relief Act last year, which cut school taxes on new indus- trial improvements and gave a five-year tax “holiday” for new business investments in participating communities; © The introduction in the 1986 provincial budget of a phased reduction in general corporate income taxes. Prior to 1982 and the introduction of the restraint program, the corporate tax burden declined after 1980 by 52 per cent, while it increased for individuals by 12 per cent, Fairey pointed out. The trade union economist also hit a $3,700 tax break to Trans Mountain Pipe- lines, one of the municipality’s worst pollu- ters, for a minor pipeline expansion under the Partners in Enterprise program. “This program not only increases the inequity of the municipal property tax sys- tem and gives an unfair cost advantage to new business and industry over existing bus- iness and industry. . .it has not and will not significantly increase the level of employ- ment in Burnaby,” Fairey said in his sub- mission. He went on to list several firms which have either laid off workers or pulled up stakes and moved operations to other municipalities since the introduction of the program. Fairey, who ran with three other labor- backed candidates on an independent slate in the 1985 municipal elections, noted in an interview that BVA candidates rejected his election challenge to discuss council’s con- tinuing transfer of the municipal tax burden onto homeowners. In his submission he also hit council for not allowing “reasonable opportunity” for Burnaby residents to become informed of the latest tax changes. Fairey said a number of homeowner and ratepayer organizations, and the civic trade union locals, have been sent copies of the ~ brief and may contest the bylaws before final ratification May 5. MAY DAY GREETINGS from Nuclear Weapons Free Burnaby and Solidarity with Burnaby public employees in the struggle for jobs and improved collective agreements. from Committee to Elect Independent Candidates (Burnaby). Telephone: 421-4455 100 YEAR CELEBRATION UNITED WE STAND Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1004 DERA extends our best wishes on May Day to all our friends and supporters DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION — 9 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1M9 Phone: 682-0931 PACIFIC TRIBUNE, APRIL 30, 1986 e 3