Dear Editor,
I received numerous calls and complaints from members of the public expressing deep frustration over the ongoing situation at the Mayor and City Council regarding their property rates (taxes). Many citizens are being told they owe millions of dollars in interest on their principal amounts — which is absolutely unreasonable.
Let me remind the Council and the public that during my tenure as Mayor, a motion was successfully moved and approved to remove the 21% compound interest that had been in place since 1994, and to replace it with 18% simple interest, effective 1st January 2022, as officially gazetted.
The Council must therefore apply the correct 18% simple interest rate as per the gazetted order, and not frustrate citizens by overcharging or miscalculating their dues. It is unacceptable that residents are forced to spend hours waiting to see the Town Clerk or the Mayor, only to be told, “We are working on it,” or “Come back next week.”
I strongly urge the Mayor and City Council to rectify these rate calculations immediately and treat citizens with fairness and respect. Should this continue, I encourage affected citizens to seek legal redress and take the Council to court if necessary.
This nonsense must stop at City Hall. Please see below the Gazetted Order confirming the 18% simple interest effective from January 1, 2022.