I can't help admiring this motelier making a stand against an imposed targeted room tax. It would appear that his fellow operators have folded and he is the only one left standing. The threat to tear the motel down rather than pay the tax is the stuff of an Ayn Rand novel. Go Don!
The owner of a motel in Summerside, P.E.I., is vowing to carry on even though the city has shut off his water and is threatening to turn off his electricity.
Don Gaudet of Baker's Lighthouse has refused to pay a new two per cent levy on every room introduced by the city in the spring to create a tourism marketing fund. Gaudet says the tax is illegal, and Tuesday the city responded to his refusal by shutting off the water.
Summerside also has its own electricity utility, and it says that's next.
"I got a phone call from Terry Murphy at city hall with the big threat of shutting my power off," Gaudet told CBC News Tuesday. "I told him to do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do."
Murphy, Summerside's chief administrative officer, said the city was left with no other option. "There was one property within the city that we spoke to as of yesterday, and again today," Murphy said Tuesday.
"He said he wasn't paying, so the decision was made to start removing services."
Gaudet owes about $350. He's threatened to tear the motel down rather than pay the tax.
The city's hoteliers were strongly against the implementation of the tax, but as of Monday only one apart from Gaudet had not paid it. Don Reid, owner of the Mulberry Motel, paid his bill this week when the city threatened to shut off utilities.
"We'd much prefer to have them work with us and do it right and do the right thing," said Murphy, "but when people push, then we have to find ways to try to deal with it."
The city will make a decision Wednesday about when to cut off the power.
Gaudet vows he will remain open. He's purchased one generator and has five others coming for electricity. He said he will have water for his tenants and customers.
Brenda Boostrom lives in an apartment at the motel. She says the fight has been hard on her and her son.
"He's scared that we're not going to have no power, no water," said Boostrom. "When you have ADHD, you panic. It's like anxiety. That's what he's got, I got, and this is driving us to the limit. We're going to pack up and probably leave."
Gaudet is expecting a large group to arrive this weekend for a hockey tournament, and by then he said he will have made arrangement so his guests won't be dry in the dark.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/09/24/pe-lighthouse-gaudet.html?ref=rss#articlecomments
Don Gaudet of Baker's Lighthouse has refused to pay a new two per cent levy on every room introduced by the city in the spring to create a tourism marketing fund. Gaudet says the tax is illegal, and Tuesday the city responded to his refusal by shutting off the water.
Summerside also has its own electricity utility, and it says that's next.
"I got a phone call from Terry Murphy at city hall with the big threat of shutting my power off," Gaudet told CBC News Tuesday. "I told him to do what you have to do, and I'll do what I have to do."
Murphy, Summerside's chief administrative officer, said the city was left with no other option. "There was one property within the city that we spoke to as of yesterday, and again today," Murphy said Tuesday.
"He said he wasn't paying, so the decision was made to start removing services."
Gaudet owes about $350. He's threatened to tear the motel down rather than pay the tax.
The city's hoteliers were strongly against the implementation of the tax, but as of Monday only one apart from Gaudet had not paid it. Don Reid, owner of the Mulberry Motel, paid his bill this week when the city threatened to shut off utilities.
"We'd much prefer to have them work with us and do it right and do the right thing," said Murphy, "but when people push, then we have to find ways to try to deal with it."
The city will make a decision Wednesday about when to cut off the power.
Gaudet vows he will remain open. He's purchased one generator and has five others coming for electricity. He said he will have water for his tenants and customers.
Brenda Boostrom lives in an apartment at the motel. She says the fight has been hard on her and her son.
"He's scared that we're not going to have no power, no water," said Boostrom. "When you have ADHD, you panic. It's like anxiety. That's what he's got, I got, and this is driving us to the limit. We're going to pack up and probably leave."
Gaudet is expecting a large group to arrive this weekend for a hockey tournament, and by then he said he will have made arrangement so his guests won't be dry in the dark.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/09/24/pe-lighthouse-gaudet.html?ref=rss#articlecomments
