Ratepayers in two more rural municipalities have voted to support the tax revolt movement that continues to gain steam in the southeast.

Meetings on the issue were held last Tuesday and Wednesday night for the RMs of Wellington and Lajord, with a clear majority of ratepayers voting to withhold their taxes at both.

In the RM of Francis just days earlier ratepayers were the first to pass a resolution to hold back their property taxes.

And on Wednesday Sept. 22, ratepayers in the RM of Scott will debate the tax revolt issue at 8 p.m. in the Lang Hall. Petitions are circulating in other municipalities and have also been presented to the councils of the RMs of Weyburn and Brokenshell - requiring them to set meeting dates soon .

Rural residents have consistently argued the education tax on farm land is unfair. For 30 years, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) has unsuccessfully lobbied the provincial government to take the burden off rural property owners who pay more than their urban counterparts.

Land owners have taken matters into their own hands - targeting municipal governments that collect the education portion of taxes - at a time when farm income levels have fallen to their lowest point since the depression.

The movement is starting to attract attention from leaders on a provincial level.
Speakers at the RM of Wellington meeting last week included Richard Truscott of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Saskatchewan School Trustees Association (SSTA) executive director Craig Melvin, Manitoba MP Jake Heppner, SARM president Sinclair Harrison and Bob Thomas of the Bengough Rally Group.

But some of the most impassioned debate came from the ratepayers themselves, who voted 89 to 25 in favour of a revolt.

"SARM has lobbied to try and get this tax base change and they've had absolutely no success. Things are starting to happen because of tax revolts and we're going ahead with it," said Ron Borys, who started the petition in Wellington.

His wife Carol said on 11 quarters of cultivated land and a half section of pasture, the couple pays $4,050 in education tax.

"I know some people in the city of Weyburn who made $110,000 (a year) and paid $1,200 in school taxes. We were in the red last year. What I'm saying is, where is this fair? We're waiting and waiting for this tax shift, but it's gotta happen now," she said.

"If we don't stand up as farmers we'll never get change in local government, provincial or federal," said ratepayer Doug Hoffman. "They keep us divided on issues like this so we have no strength to stand. Well this is a united stand, a fight against the whole tax structure. There comes a time when farmers need to put their foot down."

One ratepayer asked Reeve Lenard Piwarski if he would represent their voice with enthusiasm to SARM. The question spawned a heated exchange when Piwarski said the issue would be dealt with at the council table first and that he didn't know they would rule.

"Your council is elected by the people for the people," a ratepayer shouted.

"Well, there are (RM board) elections this fall," Piwarski responded.

"You and I are good friends," ratepayer Barry Farr told Piwarski. "We're not against Lenard Piwarski and this council in any way, shape or form. We're against what's happening to this province. It's gotta stop, and you've gotta say this has to stop."

"We've got a municipal act we must follow. We signed an oath when were we elected that we would act as an agent for the school board. We don't impose the mill rate and we can't do anything about it," Piwarski argued.

"In Saskatchewan we know anything can be made retroactive," Farr said.

"Well, next year my term is up and anyone else can take a whack at it," answered Piwarski.

Ratepayers concerned with reduced municipality services looked for solutions. Dave Beach suggested farmers donate their fuel and time to run the graders to keep roads open, but Piwarski told him only hired personnel could run the machines.

Bernard Poissant told council members to make the school district collect their own taxes, since he had no problem with the portion of municipal tax he's required to pay.

Weyburn Central School Board Chairwoman Donette Elder said the provincial education grant to the division has shrunk from almost 30 per cent ten years ago to nothing today. The division has been completely dependent on the rural tax base since 1996.

"If a taxpayer refuses to pay taxes, then the remaining taxes will be making up the difference. The cost of borrowing would increase which would in turn increase our mill rate," Elder warned.

Craig Melvin told ratepayers a provincial committee with members from SARM and the SSTA has been established to review the property tax structure and develop recommendations.

SARM is also surveying RM councils to determine interest for a one-day special convention on the farm crisis and tax revolts for Oct. 1.

The purpose would be to develop a strategy to deal with these issues and to give the SARM board an official direction.

Within the RM of Wellington, Piwarski says council will go on with business as usual.

"They're the ones who will have to hold back their taxes, and on Jan. 1 if they're not paid they'll go into arrears," he said.

Erwin Beitel, reeve RM of Lajord, echoed that sentiment.

"There were only 122 people out of 1,034 in the RM at the (Lajord) meeting. We don't know if we'll get 50 per cent of the taxes in or what," he said.