Tax Rebel On Rampage

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by George Maddux

 The fiery boss of the Association of Commercial Building Owners of Quebec has a new target: the City of Verdun. George Sergakis, who also owns the West-End strip club Les Amazones and in 1993 led tax rebels to storm the doors of Montreal City Hall, has a major beef with Georges Bosse#233;, Mayor of Verdun.

 He says that a 26 per cent tax increase meant to raise $914,000 in additional funds for the city, along with a reclassification of semi-residential properties, has led to up to 95 per cent tax increases for struggling businesses in the beleaguered south-west municipality. "For 18 months when we had a blue-collar strike with just essential services, they did fuck all, excuse my words. Why, instead of a credit, do we get a tax increase?"

 Unlike Montreal, Verdun--which has a 23 per cent business vacancy rate--will be allowed to seize properties from owners who can't pay taxes, even if the commercial building has no tenants. Sergakis says the formal process in which each owner can contest the new evaluation is an unreasonable burden on small owners already struggling with organizational challenges. The tax protesters have already held an overflowing demonstration at Verdun City Hall and Sergakis said they will keep dogging Mayor Bosse#233;. "He'd better not be a candidate for the megacity elections," Sergakis says of the Verdun mayor. "If he is, I'll be on his back. He hasn't seen anything yet." Verdun officials failed to return Mirror requests for a comment.: --George Maddux