The oil refinery, pulp mill and LNG plant are being subsidized by the taxpayers of Saint John. So are the communities outside Saint John that benefit from jobs and all the services the City has to offer. The City itself is in debt and is being forced to sell off some of its most cherished assets, and lay off its essential services. The potential loss of the Imperial Theatre is inconceivable. The inequitable property tax structure in New Brunswick needs to stop now.

We call on the New Brunswick Provincial Government and Saint John City Council to negotiate a fair market value industry property tax assessment regime. As well, to restructure tax sharing between the City and the Province so the majority of property taxes stay within the city where they are badly needed. It will be up to industry and other communities to discover if they are self-sustaining without draining the life out of Saint John.