By Lyonel Doherty
Not all Town councillors think setting up a tax cushion to prepare for increased policing costs should be a Strategic Plan priority in Oliver.
Last week Councillor Jack Bennest opposed a report on the Town’s Strategic Plan after hearing fellow councillors discuss potential tax increases in preparation for when the municipality exceeds 5,000 population. When this happens, the Town must pay 70 per cent of policing costs. Recent census data shows Oliver’s population at 4,928.
Chief Administrative Officer Cathy Cowan said they have a four-year window (before the next census) to look at different ways of putting away reserves.
Councillor Maureen Doerr said some people prefer to receive tax increases slowly as opposed to being hit with a 10 to 15 per cent spike.
Mayor Ron Hovanes said if they know the population will exceed 5,000 in the next census, should the Town raise taxes to create a cushion?
“I can see raising taxes five per cent a year rather than all at once.”
Councillor Larry Schwartzenberger said people were talking about surpassing 5,000 population in 1992. He added that if the Town had increased taxes five per cent every year since then, people would not have been very happy.
Bennest said the population in Oliver has gone up and down over the years.
“I wasn’t aware this (issue) was one of the highest priorities in town.”
The councillor said the serious problem they have to contend with now is getting $10 million for the siphon reroute project at Gallagher Lake.
The Strategic Plan includes the following items for 2017: continue to re-establish the downtown core as the social, cultural and civic heart of the community; continue to revitalize Station Street, with council identifying two high-profile projects for advancement in 2018; a study on traffic calming measures and a sidewalk implementation strategy; reduce the impact of police service costs by developing a tax strategy; and enhance public engagement with a communication strategy.
