Southern Interior municipalities have raked in a record $4.3 million in traffic fine revenue this year. The funds help to enhance policing and community based public safety programs. Revenues from
traffic fines allow municipalities to explore a wide range of projects, including outreach services for youth, Aboriginal policing, traffic safety programs and methamphetamine awareness programs. "This increased funding has also allowed municipalities to hire 560 new police officers," says Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, John van Dongen.The breakdown of traffic fine revenues for interior communities includes:
- Vernon - $580,000
- Coldstream - $52,000
May 03 Don Quixote Note: On April 12 I posted and on Apr. 14 I submitted in writing at the public input the information about the underestimation of fine revenue: Agenda Package - 9.93MB
Summary and responses to the public input session:Tax Increase P.203. P.36-39 of above agenda package is my original input.:
In the 2007 budget the anticipated fine revenue for acct 216200000 Prov. Govt Revenue Sharing Grant was $394,740.
The actual amount received was $495,253 an unexpected windfall of $100,513.
The 2008 budget has been set at $402,635 which is 2% above last years budget and $92,618 below what we received last year.
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The response to my original questions citing other underestimations of revenue and overestimations of expenses was the answer by the CFO:
Mr. Spiers has requested a zero percent increase in taxes. In support of this position he has cited a number of individual items contained within the Financial Plan where he feels there is room for a reduction in expenses or an increase in revenues.
ANSWER: Planned moderate increases in taxation to fund service expansion and cost inflation reflect the real cost pressures and initiatives undertaken by the City.
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As it turns out the revenue that we will actually receive is $580,000 which is $177,365 more than we budgeted for. This is a miss by 44%.
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On April 23rd I sent an e-mail to Anne.(NameWithheld)@gov.bc.ca :
I have seen the publication of the 2008 fine revenue for the Coastal region and the Kootenays so far. Can you advise when we will see the North Okanagan figures.Especially interested in Vernon and Coldstream for budget purposes. Thanks in advance for your help. (End of Message)
The person was the liaison officer named in one of the already named press releases. She did not reply to me knowing full well that the beloved leader Ida Chong would make this news release at the end of the SILGA convention. In this day of cooperation between the municipalities and the province you would have anticipated that the province would have informed municipal treasurers of any large increase so they can present a realistic budget.
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Well it is still before the final vote on the budget on April 12 and this large error of $$177,365 can still be used to adjust our tax increase down by at least 1%. This would cut the announced tax increase (excluding fire) from 2.04% in half. This would also cut the real business tax increase in half. This must be put on the finance committee meeting of Thursday May 8 so the CFO can make these adjustments in preparation for Monday.
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