At the Finance meeting at 1pm today the committee will reconfirm Council's intention to give up more than $60,000 in fees and DCC's that normally would be payable. ($15610 to GVS and the balance to the City of Vernon.)
The DCC's in the amount of $15,160 to GVS and $18,522 to Vernon CAN BE WAIVED by invoking the DCC section of the Local Government Act (LGA) (12) As an exception to subsection (11), a local government may provide assistance by waiving or reducing a charge under this section for not for profit rental housing, including supportive living housing.
Both the City of Vernon and GVS through NORD must take this route so no precedent is set. To simply allow these amounts to be given to Hospice House as a grant with them then paying these DCC's would in effect be a sleight of hand that would cost the residential and business taxpayers and give an unnecessary benifit to the DCC trust fund. This would effectively reduce the stipulated rate of future payments required by developers to DCC projects.
It is also my opinion that the Application and building fees can also be waived as is done in other municipal jurisdictions across Canada or reduced to $1. This will give the needed benifit to Hospice House and simply reduce the amount by which these fee revenue accounts will already exceed their budgeted amounts for 2007.
This only leaves the $12,750 for Curb and sidewalk . A grant for this at the time it is necessary may be needed.
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This whole idea of giving out money in one form that is returned to us for a nuanced purpose reminds me of the present story of the Tories using Central money to give to a local campaign, only to have it turned back to headquarters for ads etc. The Tories are copying the Liberals for sleight of hand accounting and it should not happen at the municipal level.
The HOSPICE HOUSE deserves these waiving of fees and DCC's. JUST DO IT THE RIGHT WAY !
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/L/96323_28.htm#section932
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