Beardsell lashes out at budget ‘sham’

Published: March 31, 2009 7:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

Barry Beardsell didn’t disappoint his supporters as he savaged the City of Vernon’s proposed 2009 budget Monday. Before a crowd of more than 70 at city hall, the former councillor used a public input session to pounce upon the document, questioning the figures included within it and the actions taken by present council. “This budget is a sham and disgusting, and what you are trying to do is not fair to taxpayers,” he said. The proposed tax increase for the average home is 1.99 per cent but Beardsell says that doesn’t take into account changes in the fire levy in Okanagan Landing or the impact of increased costs at the North Okanagan Regional District. “Nobody has the guts or the nerve to do anything about it,” he said.

Beardsell says funding grants to non-profit groups could have been cancelled this year, and he questions the need for 11 new employees. “You have been hiring people like they’ve been going out of style,” he said of the $700,000 cost. The one new position that came under attack was a transportation demand management co-ordinator for $87,100 a year. That individual would seek alternatives to people driving vehicles. “This position will do nothing good because people have to go to work or shopping and in Vernon, most of us can’t do it by cycling or walking,” said resident Nathaniel Royko.

Merchant Jeff Wuolle complained about the increase in taxes and how it impacts businesses like his. “What gives you the opinion that council is immune and isolated from the worldwide recession?” he said. There were also concerns that the change in the fire protection levy and taxing vacant land will hit Landing residents particularly hard. “The 1.99 per cent tax increase is being done on the backs of the Landing and I don’t think that’s fair,” said Pat Lett. But there was also support for the budget, including having residents in the Landing and the rest of the city taxed the same for fire protection. “We need to have everyone in the city paying similar rates and they are entitled to receiving similar levels of service,” said Randy Noonan. “We have to pay taxes that are in keeping with a modern city.”

Despite considerable opposition to the budget, Coun. Jack Gilroy defends the document, and particularly hiring more staff. “We are thinking of the citizens. We need these positions to make the city work,” he said. However, Coun. Patrick Nicol wants the budget reviewed again. “The message is loud and clear. People want us to reassess what we are doing.”