DON QUIXOTE AT THE ANNUAL REPORT PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (PART 2 of 2)

Well, I tilted at windmills again and presented a 5 page series of questions and observations about the 2005 annual financial statements to the city council at Monday's meeting. Rather than bore you with all the details (which are part of the public record of this session and will be posted by the City at their website in 2 weeks) I will briefly highlight my concerns and some of the answers I managed to get immediately and the ones that I got no answer to YET. Not all of my concerns were seeking answers but some were merely advising Council of actions that they should consider in the future (city's responses or my version of them in red below)

1. My concerns about an item that I have been seeking an answer since July of 2002 re the terasen gas Franchise fee and the result of the UBCM group that was working on the problem will be addressed by the new financial Manager in the future.
2. I asked once again to have the 2006 line item detailed budget put online as was authorized by council resolution in Feb. No response yet
3. DCC's - I once again indicated the loss of 2.3 million to this trust fund by council's decision in Dec /04 to change the implementation date from the original date of Dec13/04 to March 1/05. I then asked the same question I had asked earlier in the year at the budget meetings "How long are the building permits good for and if they have to be extended will the the DCC's be renegotiate upwards. I believe the answer was that the building permits are good for 1 year from issue date and if they are extended by the building inspector then they would be charged the DCC rate in effect at the time of the extension. (i.e we might recover higher DCC's from units that were not started within a 1 year period from permit issue date.)
4. DCC's - I brought up the history of the charging of DCC's on the construction of 3 or less self contained dwelling units on April 25/06. Previous to this this practice was not allowed and these units would be DCC exempt. I asked Council to review this decision with the eye to allowing "low cost housing" in infill areas to once again be exempt of the City Dcc's. (or at least the Road Dcc's).
5. Tax Ratios I commended the council in their decision to review the Light Industrial and Utility Tax Ratios and rates for the first time in 10 years by Oct1 /06. I then launched into a long boring harangue on Heavy Industrial Tax rates and indicated that they explore the subject in view of the pending resolution at UBCM about a Provincial cap on these rates.
6. Suggested that the council bring up the subject of raising the business tax exemption from $10,000 to $50,000 with the DVA at their upcoming meeting. This exemption is in the balliwick of the Province but if it was championed at UBCM and ministerial meetings then it might be the way to help small businesses in our city.
7. RCMP Budget - I gave my usual rant about the loss opportunity last budget to reduce the excess funds above 1,000,000 and give a tax relief of 3.45%. I noted that the budget surplus thanks to the excess in the first half of 2006 of another $350,000 made this reserve account projected to be $1,843,000 at year end. (this is the equivalent of almost 3 roundabouts or 18 police officers at 100,000/officer. I am happy that we have a police reserve set up now where any movements are debated and decided in open council and transparent to the public. I just think there is a difference of opinion on the cap that should be put on this reserve. After all the political need always expands to fit the amount of money available. I also again requested that the Police fine revenue from the province flow through the police reserve to provide the best audit trail.
8. In the 2007 budget instructions the staff has been asked to use a 3% increase to the Mayor and Councillors salaries. To avoid adding this wiggle room, slush fund or initive fund I requested that council pass a resolution to forego this 3% potential increase in 2007. Surprisingly I got no takers from this council.

Well it was a good tilt at the myriad of Windmills at City Council.