Mammoliti vows property tax break for seniors

Mayoral candidate Giorgio Mammolitti has promised to reduce property taxes by five per cent for both home and business ownersif he wins the Oct. 25 election, with an even larger tax break forlower-income seniors.

In a speech at the Columbus Centre on Tuesday, the North West councillorsaid he would eliminate property taxes forsenior citizens living inhouseholds earning less than $65,000.

He also vowed to help family members who care for seniors by giving them an annual$10,000 allowance.

Mammolitisaid the measures should give older Torontonians "somedignity" and a choice to stay in their own homes instead of movingtoretirementhomes.

Theplan to cut property taxes by five per centwould costabout $135 million dollars a year, he told reporters at the community centre on Lawrence Avenue. He said in arelease he could cover the cost by making"bureaucratic cuts" at City Hall,as well as introducing a Toronto-based lottery and raising boat club fees.

Mammoliti is one of a group of six frontrunners in the mayoral race leading up to the Oct. 25 election. The others include Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman, Joe Pantalone, Rob Ford andSarah Thomson.