Saturday, July 10, 2010

Podunk Below the Masthead, Friday, July 9, 2010

Chances hedges its bet on taxes, a worrisome trend on the water and television discovers Prince Rupert cuisine, some of the items from the Friday news cycle.

Daily News, front page, headline story
IT'S ALL ABOUT TAKING ONE'S "CHANCES" ON PAYING TAXES--  Surprising news on the taxation front, that the city's home for gambling and entertainment isn't particularly quick to pay on it's property taxes, as Monica Lamb Yorski outlines the taxation situation regarding Chances.

The fishing season once again is on around north coast waters and yet again concerns over the fate of the gill net fishery continue to dominate the talk on the waterfront.

And the city finally has a name for us when it comes to the Economic Development position, as 22 year old Derek Baker by way of the University of Northern British Columbia was the successful applicant to replace the long since departed Nellie Chang. With no formal introduction in place from the City of Prince Rupert, the Daily News provided the glad to meet you's in Friday's paper.

The sports section featured a look at some of the members of the Prince Rupert Rampage as they took to the golf course for charity this week.

(Daily News archives for Friday, July 9, 2010)

It's all about taking one's "Chances" on paying taxes
Where have all the gill nets gone
A grizzly feeling at the Cannery
Rupert finds its new man
Taking a tour in the garden - still as popular as ever

The Northern View
No new items appeared on the Northern View website on Friday

CFTK TV 7 News
West coast chef -- Sahar Nassimdoost profiled the visit to Prince Rupert from the crew of the television show Flavours of the West coast, her video report on their findings in the city (can be viewed here).

CFTK TV 7 News
River Levels-- John Crawford filed this report on the low levels in local rivers this summer (see report here)


CBC News Northern BC Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now.

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here

Daily News, front page headline story 
It’s all about taking one’s “Chances” on paying taxes 
By Monica Lamb-Yorski  
Staff Writer
Prince Rupert Daily News
Friday, July 9, 2010

The city of Prince Rupert is still waiting to collect.

For the last three years Chances has not paid its taxes. That said, Chances Prince Rupert is reportedly planning to make a payment in the next 30 days on an outstanding municipal tax bill of $617,057.62.

CEO Craig Briere said Chances has basically had to prioritize what bills to pay and what to put on hold.

“Payroll comes first,” he commented.

Legally, companies can go for three years without paying their taxes before their property goes on the City’s tax sale list.

And even after that, the company has a year to pay up.

Mayor Jack Mussallem said businesses in various communities can elect to not pay their taxes for up to three years and make payments prior to the property going to tax sale.

“It’s not normally done, but from time to time businesses will do that for whatever reason is theirs. It’s not done widely, but it is done,” Mussallem said.

“People who usually do this as part of their business plan are very up to date on legislation.
 “But once it goes to tax sale they have to pay all the outstanding taxes, plus the penalty, plus the interest within one year.”

But if, a week before that opportunity presents itself, they come in and pay one year of taxes, they can put it off for another year, the mayor said.

Briere commented it’s unfortunate but Chances has not come near its financial projection for the business.

“We have not been immune to the recession and we have the highest municipal tax rates of any gaming centre in the province,” he said.

For the last two years, Chances has appealed its taxes and saw a slight reduction.

 “We will continue to appeal them. They are detrimental to business,” Briere added.

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