Fredericton – David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South and leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick is encouraging the Premier to broaden the mandate for the review of property taxes.

“I was glad to see my call for a public inquiry to be led by a respected jurist was adopted by the Premier, but its mandate is too narrow,” said Coon. “I agree with the Premier, that we must rebuild the confidence of New Brunswickers in our property tax system, but this will only be possible if the system is reformed so that everyone is paying their fair share. Past political deals that see industrial and some business properties intentionally undervalued have to be scrapped.”

The Green Party leader wants the public inquiry to occur in two phases. Justice Roberts is to report on the circumstance by which many New Brunswickers were issued bogus property tax bills by August 1st. He says there should be a phase two of the public inquiry to examine the inequity in the property assessment system and recommend how it could be made fairer.

In the meantime, Coon wants the Premier to halt any further assessments using the new system, until Justice Robertson submits his report this summer.