For tax fairness

Dear Editor,

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to THE EQUITY for your continued coverage of the property assessment crisis facing Alleyn and Cawood. Your dedication to keeping the community informed has been invaluable in our efforts to rally against the unjust 370 per cent municipal property assessments increase set to hit us in January 2025.

Here is an update on our progress:

· Taskforce Formation and Initiatives: We have formed a taskforce of residents, the municipality, the mayor and councillors and are working to combat the flawed evaluation process.

· Community Engagement: We’ve already collected more than 250 signatures for our petition and await the legislature’s approval for our online petition to gather signatures from surrounding communities.

· Support from Key Leaders: Our local MNA, André Fortin, is presenting our petition to the legislature, once approved online signatures shall be available. Jane Toller, warden of MRC Pontiac, is rallying mayors of other municipalities in the MRC to sign a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest, requesting a fair and incremental process to prevent this from happening to other Quebec municipalities.

· Upcoming Events: We are planning a town hall event “What’s the Scoop on Your Municipal Property Assessments?” with coffee and ice cream, information sessions and a press conference. Stay tuned for more details.

Our efforts are gaining momentum, and we are committed to ensuring the voices of Alleyn and Cawood, as well as the broader MRC Pontiac, are heard in Quebec City. We will continue to fight for a fair property assessment process that reflects the true market value of our homes and does not impose undue financial tax burdens on our homeowners.

Join the fight, sign the petition. Together, we can achieve fairness and justice for our community and our neighbours.

Angela Giroux, Chair, Alleyn and Cawood Municipal Property Evaluation Taskforce