— Could add $66 to average home property tax —

(OSOYOOS TIMES — Nov. 8, 2006) —

By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times

The Province has announced a new funding formula for policing which will see rural areas and small communities like Osoyoos pay for a portion of their policing, but still pay less than urban centres.
Town of Osoyoos Finance Director Jim Zakall says local residents will see a new 'policing costs' figure on their tax notices at an estimated amount of about $66, based on the average home price. The formula is based on assessed property values and the number of RCMP members working in the community.
Urban residents currently pay between 70-100 percent of their police costs, and under the new formula, which will be implemented in January 2007, rural areas will pay roughly 40-50 per cent of their policing costs.
The government is also helping smaller communities offset these costs with the new measure of being entitled to traffic fine revenues collected within the municipality.
Last month at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention, B.C.'s Solicitor General said, A more equitable funding model has been in the works for a number of years, but what we're announcing today strongly reflects the work we've done with communities and local governments to listen to their concerns.
A provincial news release noted last month that overall policing costs for small communities are about $60-65 million annually, with the new formula recovering about $25 million, or 40 per cent, of that total.
Regional Director Mark Pendergraft says there will also be a small percentage (10 cents per $1,000 assessed value) subtracted from rural residents' policing costs in consideration of past contributions.
I am not sure what this will boil down to per household but it should be less than the $50/average home that was estimated. There will also be an opportunity for input into policing activities but the method has not yet been established.
Late last year, the Town of Osoyoos received a letter from Kevin Begg, Director of Police Services, informing it that once a municipality reaches a population of more than 5,000, it must assume the responsibility for policing.
Zakall says if Osoyoos' population climbs above the 5,000 mark, which will be determined once the 2006 Census figures are calculated, Osoyoos residents will face paying 70 per cent of the town's policing costs.
The provincial government defines rural communities as communities with less than 5,000 residents.