HomeMy WebLinkAboutTR-11-97
,
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
REPORT
Meeting:
GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITfEE
File# f~d, 7/1
Res. # ('-:rfJA-IO!-(!7
By-Law # 97-.3 7
.
Date:
March 3, 1997
Report #: TR 11 97
File#:
Subject:
TAX CERTIFICATE FAX BACK SYSTEM
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend
to Council the following:
1. THAT Report TR-I1-97 be received;
2. THAT in order to provide an improved level of service option to tax certificate
customers, Council approve a charge of $45.00 for tax certificates provided via a fax
back service, with the fee for the current service remaining at $25.00 for 1997 and
$55.00 and $35.00 respectively for 1998;
3. THAT the appropriate By-Law be forwarded to Council;
4. THAT a fee be established for tax receipts issued at other than the time of payment
at $5.00 effective June I, 1997 and $7.00 effective January I, 1998, with the
appropriate By-Law forwarded to Council;
5. THAT the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute an agreement with Synamics
Inc. for the provision of a tax certificate fax back system; and
6. THAT the appropriate By-Law be forwarded to Council with the agreement attached
as Schedule "A" of the By-law.
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BACKGROUND:
1.0 The Tax Department of the Municipality issued tsx certificates according to the following
chart for 1996:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
TOTAL
..............,.,.,...,..-,.,.,-,.;.,.....,-,.;.,-,-.-,-.-,-,-.-;.,.,-,-,-.,--,..-..-.....-.....-.-.-.-.---.-.....-.....-.....................................;...,
lim;I.~.~III..l
225
265
261
174
344
90
306
186
87
328
252
163
2,681
Most certificates are ordered by lawyers for adjusting tsxes between vendor and purcbaaer
in a real estate transaction or by mortgage companies to ensure that tsxes are kept up to date
by their borrower, the property owner. Eacb certificate lists the current year tsxes levied,
and the amount of property tsxes which are in arrears for an individual property, identified
by assessment roll number. The current charge for a tsx certificate is 825.00.
1.1 At the present time, tsx certificates are requested in writing and are accompanied by a
cheque to cover the above noted fee. Staff p~ess these requests during business hours, as
timing allows. Often during instalment months, the tsx certificate requests are held until the
instalment date has passed. This causes difficulties for lawyers with set closing dates for real
estate transactions.
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TR-1l-97
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1.2 Staff would like to improve service provided to those groups requiring tax certifieates by
offering a fax back service. The fax back service allows lawyers to access tax certificate
information by dialling a toll free number and speaking with a representative of Synamics
Inc. Mter business hours, information can be accessed at the same toll free number via
touch tone telephone. This results in 24 hour/seven days a week availability of tax
certificates. A response is faxed directly to the lawyer generally in less than two minutes.
The lawyer has the option of selecting to pay via pre-authorized bank withdrawal or major
credit card. The Synamics Inc. fee is $20.00 per certificate. This in conjunction with the
Municipality's standard fee of $25.00 results in a total cost of $45.00 for those lawyers who
wish to use the fax back service. The standard service through the Municipality will still be
available for $25.00. These fees are passed on by the lawyer to the purchaser of the
property.
1.3 Since the fee from Synamics Inc. is based on a sliding scale dependent upon volume, the
Municipality will generate increased revenue depending upon the volume of tax certificates
processed by Synamics Inc.
1.4 An additional advantage to lawyers using the Synamics Inc. service is "one stOp shopping"
since Synamics Inc. is extending this service to provide water, hydro and natural gas
clearance certificates.
1.5 This service is provided at no cost to the Municipality since Synamics Inc. collects their fee
directly from the lawyer. The Municipality must provide one computer at the Municipal
offices to which Synamics Inc. will "dial-up" when a tax certificate request is received. This
will be accommodated through the 1997 Capital Budget. This computer will be a stand alone
terminal so the security of the network is maintained.
1.6 The major advantages to offering this service include customer service improvement, potential
revenue increase, productivity improvement and no cost or risk to the Municipality.
1.7 Synamics Inc. has indicated that, subject to Council approval, a tentative implementation
date would be mid to late 1997. Other Municipalities who are using this service or have
committed to a Spring 1997 implementation include Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Kitchener,
North York, Nepean, EtObicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Cambridge, Aurora, Sudbury, London
and Waterloo. There are also several other municipalities working towards a mid to late
1997 implementation.
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TR-1l-97
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1.8 The Tax Department also spends a significant amount of administrative time issuing tax
receipts to property owners for income tax, mortgage purposes, etc. It is recommended that
a tax receipt continue to be provided free of charge at the time a payment is made and that
a fee be established for tax receipts issued at times other than time of payment.
CONCLUSION
2.0 In order to improve customer service and staff efficiency, it is recommended that the
Municipality enter into an agreement with Synamics Inc. in order to provide a tax certificate
fax back service. This would result in 24 hour avaiIahility of tax certificates with potential
additional revenues for the Municipality.
Respectfully submitted,
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arie A. Marano, H.BSc., A.M.C.T.,
Treasurer.
Reviewed by,
W.H.Stoc~
Chief Administrative Officer.
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Attachment
804
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPAliTY OF CLARINGTON
BY-LAW NUMBER 97-
being a By-Law to amend By-law 96-32, a By-Law
to require the payment of fees for information and
services provided by the Municipality of Clarington
and for prescribing the amount of such fees
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington has adopted the
recommendations contained within Report ADMIN-2-96 and Report TR-1l-97 to adjust existing
administrative fees and to impose new administrative fees to recover costs incurred by the
Municipality in providing information and services:
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF
CLARINGTON ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1. THAT By-Law 96-32 be amended by adding a new Schedule "F" as attached hereto as
Attachment #1.
By- Law read a first and second time this 10th day of March 1997.
By-Law read a third time and finally passed this 10th day of March 1997.
Mayor
Clerk
805
AtlHchment #1 to By-Law #97-
SCHEDULE "F'
TO BY-LAW 96-32
FEES PRESCRIBED BY THE TREASURER
SERVICE/DOCUMENT EFFECTIVE DATE FEE
Fax Back Tax Certificates June 1, 1997 345.00
Fax Back Tax Certificates January 1, 1998 355.00
Regular Tax Certificates January 1, 1998 335.00
Tax Receipt June 1, 1997 S 5.00
(at other than time of payment)
Tax Receipt January 1, 1998 37.00
(at other than time of payment)
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