City Government Beggar's Checklist

By Maureen Bader 29 Nov 2009 Vancouver Sun:
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation provided provincial and federal governments with a new tool to help them rebuff requests from municipal politicians for new taxing powers and more funding. The new report - "The Beggars Checklist: A To Do List For Municipalities" - documents dozens of initiatives that municipalities could be pursuing right now that would reduce costs and raise revenues legitimately. The CTF recommends provincial and federal politicians pull out the checklist and make sure municipal politicians have pursued each initiative before begging for new taxing power or cash. Instead of trying to find new ways to pick the pockets of taxpayers to fund their spending sprees, municipalities must look at best practices from other municipalities to fund the services the community values. This is especially important now as the City of Vancouver appears to be using emotion-laden targets such as the petting zoo as an example of the type of service it would eliminate unless property taxes rise. To create an 'either/or' scenario to justify property tax increases, the City has apparently refused to look at funding options for the petting zoo.

Before municipal governments get any money from other levels of government, those governments must ask:

"Has your municipality..."

1) Brought staff salaries in-line with the private sector?
2) Contracted out services wherever possible?
3) Utilized public private partnerships for capital projects?
4) Sold surplus land and assets?
5) Converted services to user fees?
6) Sought volunteers for the delivery of city services?
7) Refocused activities on core services?
8) Raised revenues for services through sponsorship activities?
9) Partnered with other governments for service delivery?
10) Utilized new technology to reduce costs?

Taxpayers are tapped out and cannot be expected to fund politically motivated spending wish lists any longer, or be held hostage by city governments who refuse to look at options. When municipal politicians get together they should be sharing best practices and looking for innovation ideas, not plotting out strategies to get new taxing powers or raise taxes.