Business View Magazine | March 2018

103 which don’t take income into account at all.People who spend less,pay less in sales taxes.Special rebates further protect thosewith lowincomes.Asales tax alsomeans that everyone who usesmunicipal services -including visitors and tourists-would pay for those services. AMOwill beworking hard tomake sure that all pro- vincial leaders consider the future of communities and municipal governments as theyhit the campaign trail. “Across theworld,municipalities use sales taxes to fund services,”Ms.Dollin added.“If we don’t lookat a newapproach,property taxes will rise rapidly,or ser- vices will be cut deeply.” Ontario’s municipal governments will continue to find efficiencies and lower costs where possible.How- ever,all the efficiencies cannot close a $5 billion gap. Ontario’s municipalities and propertytaxpayers need provincial and federal cooperation to avoid significant property tax increases.