Kristi Patton - Penticton Western News Published: March 23, 2010 6:00 PM
Penticton directors are unhappy with the direction of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen budget. The RDOS narrowly adopted the budget bylaw on Thursday with all four of the Penticton directors not raising their hands in approval as a result of the 11 per cent increase allocated to the city. “The reality is here that they are asking for more than a 10 per cent increase and the average is 4.9,” said alternate director Dan Albas, who was sitting in for Garry Litke. “I was shocked to find out these figures and I would like to see us start working on this ... I feel we are on a runaway train and we need to slow that train down.” Some directors around the table during last week’s budget discussion pointed out that looking at percentages is somewhat of a distortion, and what services are being provided to the taxpayers for their dollar is also important. Albas suggested that the budget process is something that needs a new approach or perspective and if Penticton is not having its needs met maybe they should look at other options and “see if regional governance is something we should be continuing.” Albas added that the grand total requisition from the city was at an increase of 49 per cent from 2001. This budget the total requisition is $1,624,877.
“I think the general message put forward by Mayor (Dan) Ashton, myself and fellow councillors is that the costs of the long-term direction of the regional district are too high as the economy has changed life for all of us. People are going to be questioning their tax bills now more so than ever. Because people are really looking at their bottom lines, we have to do the same,” said Albas. Much of the increase was used for funds for the 911 function, to which all electoral areas and municipalities contribute. The board included a provision for a $30,000 study to determine the most efficient and effective method of providing this service. “The item is a bombshell that came over to the City of Penticton without myself as the mayor, or myself as the chair informed of it until it ended up on the floor over here which is the increase at our own fire departments for fire dispatch. So that is a substantial amount,” said RDOS chairman Ashton.
The chairman proceeded to tell the RDOS board that he also did not support the budget. He added, in regards to some of Albas’s suggestions for cuts to the budget, that after many meetings discussing the budget and items in it, bringing something to the table at the last minute was not the way to deal with it. Because Albas is an alternate director he had not been present for all the budget discussions. Operating revenue and expenses for the 2010 year of the financial plan are set at just under $40.4 million, up from $39.3 million in 2009. One of the larger items is the $1.3 million Community Wildfire Plan in the emergency planning function, which is funded 100 per cent by a grant. “The board has very carefully considered each and every function to ensure that the burden on the taxpayers has been kept to a minimum,” said Ashton. The regional district has 129 unique functions. The majority of these functions form a specific service, each created by a group of ratepayers. Each of those 129 functions have budgets that set the requisition amount for that specific service and only those receiving the service are charged. Funds from one function cannot be shifted to another.
All eight electoral areas and six member municipalities contribute to the regional functions. In 2010, expenses in the general government budget have been increased to pay grants to such organizations as the South Okanagan Health Fair, the Children’s Festival as well as maintaining current funding for the Okanagan Film Commission. It covers the RDOS participation in the BC Street program at the Olympics and development of a conservation strategy. The five-year financial plan was presented to most municipal councils and the public had the opportunity at town hall meetings to review the various functions that affect their particular area. As a result of the meetings, the RDOS said there will be ongoing dialogue to improve any mutual regional or sub-regional service delivery options. Tax calculations are expected to be complete by early April, when 2010 revised assessed values are available.
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