City proceeds with taxation of property

Published: April 16, 2009 6:00 PM By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

Attempts to reverse how fire protection taxes in Vernon are collected have failed. Coun. Bob Spiers wanted fire protection taxes applied to only buildings and other improvements, but a majority of council opted Tuesday to extend the levy to property as well. “Five councils under three different mayors have decided not to change this method of taxation. What has changed this year that makes us do so now?” he said. When Okanagan Landing was annexed into the city in 1993, two specified areas were set up for fire protection (one for the Landing and one for the rest of Vernon). Both have been based on improvements only, until current council decided recently to get rid of the specified areas and tax based on land and improvements. “We had the opportunity of keeping the two specified areas, keeping the fairest method of taxing for fire,” said Spiers.Spiers insists there isn’t a need to extend the tax to property because “traditionally land does not burn too well.” He is also concerned that many landowners will be hit hard by the change in taxation. “A pure landowner will have an increase of 26 per cent no matter where you are in the community,” he said.

But support for shifting to land and improvements came from Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe. “It’s been 15 years since amalgamation of the Landing and people should be taxed the same,” she said. “The Landing should have the benefit of the entire city tax base for services they need. Also, land and improvement is how a vast majority of municipalities tax.” O’Keefe admits that some property owners will be hit hard by the change, but she says others may actually see their taxes go down, including some with large tracts of land. “If you are zoned agriculture, you are taxed agriculture and you won’t see an increase,” she said.

O’Keefe, Coun. Shawn Lee and Mayor Wayne Lippert gave three readings to 2009 tax rates bylaw, including for fire protection. Spiers and Coun. Patrick Nicol were opposed while Councillors Jack Gilroy and Buffy Baumbrough were absent.