Policing to contribute to tax hike (SALMON ARM)

By Barb BrouwerOBSERVER STAFF Jul 11 2007 http://www.saobserver.net/

Salmon Arm councillors have approved, in principle, a 2.4 per cent increase in the 2008-09 budget to accommodate the hiring of two new RCMP members. The city will send a letter noting the approval in principle to the Federal Treasury Board. “This letter does not mean that council endorses the budget set for the City of Salmon Arm,” noted Chris Cadotte, manager of financial services, in a June 26 memo. “It is a budget allocation tool used by the Federal Treasury Board.” Without the letter, due by July 16, the treasury board would allocate the same amount as the previous year for policing services. “Ultimately, if this was to occur, services could be reduced to our community due to a shortfall in funding from the federal level to the provincial level,” Cadotte wrote.

Coun. Ivan Idzan noted that no members of the public expressed concerns about increased taxes at a spring meeting on RCMP services. Coun. Alan Harrison called adequate police protection a top priority, noting part of the need could be attributed to population growth, which will bring in more money. He expressed the hope that other councillors would look closely at their second, third and fourth priorities in an effort to keep the total tax increase around the three per cent mark. “It doesn’t mean that come tax time, I’m going to say there’s only 0.6 per cent (the difference between a 2.4 and three per cent tax increase) left.” In his quarterly report to council in June, Salmon Arm RCMP Sgt. Eric Castle said 18 officers have been budgeted by the city for the detachment for this year and it is currently operating with 17. Williams said one fully trained officer is expected to be arriving on Oct. 1 or shortly thereafter, making up the 18. The detachment also has five members who are paid by the provincial government.