A New Brunswick couple says they have decided to pay their property tax bill and run.
After appealing their property tax bill, Ken Trecartin and his partner received an assessment that went from $141,600 to $117,420.
“I was so happy about it,” says Trecartin. “I called them back to see how I could pay it or if I'd have to wait for a new bill. But then they told me there was an error.”
But it turned out it was an error in addition to another one. Without sending them a new fact sheet, Service New Brunswick just sent the couple a new bill, this time increasing the assessment to $133,400.
Intimidated by the May 31 deadline, the Trecartins paid the bill on Monday, despite re-appealing.
“I waited almost until the last day, but what else are you going to do? They put a lean on your house if you don't pay it,” says Trecartin.
In the meantime, the Trecartins are hoping to get a fair price for their Gagetown home. But they're not banking on it, saying not many will want a home where taxes continue to increase.
“It's a depressed area. Houses are going for half of what they're worth. It's very bad. They've taken everything out of the village and everyone's leaving,” says Trecartin.
If the house sells, the Trecartins say they'll likely leave too. As for the re-appeal, Service New Brunswick told the couple it will now go to the Assessment and Planning Appeal Board. But it could be months before they get their hearing.
Service New Brunswick says it will be issuing a progress report, including how many appeals have been made to date, sometime in early June. However, the Crown corporation says until that time, no further details on this file will be made available.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown.
