For the most part I have no problem with people spending their money on legal activities as they see fit, I do however think that the province should have assistance ready for those that find that they have a problem with gambling and wish to stop or find a way to control it.
What I find interesting about this whole Chances scenario here, is that over three years now they have chosen not to pay taxes owed, as we learned from Moncia Lamb Yorski last week because they prefer to take care of their in house expenses first.
atowncalledpodunk.blogspot.com/2 … -care.html
Though as they’re a private company they haven’t exactly shared the books with us to see just how onerous a load running a gambling den is in this town.
That and apparently they don’t like the level of taxation levied by the city.
Now I can share their level of concern at the ever growing tax grab by the city, but perhaps paying their tax bill and then challenging it while remaining a good corporate citizen might be a better strategy, hell the city seems to have lawyers on retainer year round now so what’s another court challenge.
Considering the fact that gambling is a licensed activity in BC by the province, allowing one of its gambling partners to avoid tax payment for three years is a strange bit of assistance to struggling northern towns.
Especially since gambling in BC is something like a multi billion dollar industry.
I wonder how they would like it if the customers chose not to pay up front for gambling, instead running up a tab and then going well you know we think that a quarter is too much for the slots so we’ll just hold off paying our tab until you folks come to your senses.
I pay my taxes every year on time, I grumble about it and wish the city would find a way to be more cost effective and reduce it’s expenses and my tax load, but I understand the pact between taxpayer and city that without the cash things just stop working.
I would expect a company that is raking in money from this city to do the same