By JEFF NAGEL

THREE MORE days,

That’s how long’ prospective
candidates for city council have
left to file nomination papers.

-. After that deadline, the five-week
campaign begins leading up to the

Nov. 20 election day.

Here’s a cheat sheet of some of the is-
sues that will be facing the new city
- council and that local yoters will be con-
sidering when they go to the palls,

The Multiplex
Voters, will have to decide whether
they. want the multiplex built when they
cast their ballot in’ the referendum. But
it’s hard to see how the project ilself —
as Opposed to council's handling of it -
’ will affect. voters decisian on who to
support for council.
‘Some candidates will favour the mul-
tiplex, while others may oppose il. But
the councillors that are elected will really
have no choice other than to uphold the
results of the referendum and carry out
the people’s wishes — even if it conflicts
with their own.

Tax levels =.
~The bottom tine in municipal govern-
ment is what the average family in a
house has to. cough up in property taxes
each year.

. Let those tax levels get out of control

and .torch-carrying mobs can soon be

marching on city hall.

~The tax bite in Terrace has been virtu-

ally frozen for a number of years, but
~ council has warned it may not be able to

keep a lid on tax levels indefinitely.

A new council could change ils stance
.on tax levels - reducing them below cur-
rent levels if it’s willing to cut spending
further or increasing them to pay for
mare Services.

Deciding the tax mix — how hard to
hit: residential, business and industrial
taxpayers respectively — is also an an-
nual balancing act, with particular pres-
sure coming from the business com-
munity for tax relief.

Special Interests
think Farmeris Market; ‘Supporters, and.
Braun’ ’s Island residents,

Election time is sometimes an oppor

tunity, for, motivated groups with a
strong agenda to try to advance their
cause — either by raising their issue dur-
ing the campaign or even by running for
office themselves.

‘Market organizers wielded large peti-
tions and threatened that councillors that

the Davis Ave. site would pay at the
polls.

Local property developers, contractors
who depend on city work, and unions
representing. city workers all usually
closely watch the election campaign —
and sometimes make financial contribu-
lions to candidates,

~The local women’s centre also routi-
nely quizzes candidates to determine
which ones are most suppartive,

‘Integrity

Candidates shouldn’t run for council to
line their own pockets.

There’s often potential for that when a
council member owns a business that
might negotiate to provide services to
the city, or if a council member owns

_ property that’s being developed and sub-

Rural areas

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 13, 1999 - A5

- A PRIMER ON THE ‘99 MUNICIPAL ELECTION |

Campaign Issues 101

With city council candidates racing for the starting gates, here’s a look at some
of the issues that are likely to shape the coming municipal election campaign

THE BATTLE thal erupted in the past term between cily councillors and
Farmer's Market organizers over the market's permanent location could yet

spill over into the election if a tentantive deal for

a five-year lease on the site

isn’t finalized. Market organizers like Lynne Christiansen (above) drew up
petitions a year ago and suggested ma:ket supporters might work to elect a
more market-friendly council come election time.

ject to city construction and zoning re-
striclions..

But unlike previous council terms,
those conflict-of-interest situations: ha-
yen"t emerged as big issues over the last
three years.

The present council has been vigilant:

cil members and the. mayor have:been -.
quick to declare any conflicts and leave
council chambers when an issue comes

up relating to their personal business,
property, or even the church they atttend.
The closest any current council mem-

> ber came to the line was probably in
opposed their wish for long-term use of |

1997 when the city toyed with the idea

of privalizing residential garbage pickup’

and councillor David. Hull submitted but
then withdrew a bid to provide that serv-
ice.

Planning

The big issue in ‘96 was the need to
fe-vamp the city’s outdated “Official
Community: Plan, That's ‘eased in im-
portance this time because the economic
slump put a near freeze on what had been
lightning-fast development. And a re-
build of the OCP — largely being con-
ducted by the city planner - is well un-
derway. sy,

Big Box stores

Sume locals were apprehensive at how
readily this council pave the green light
to construction of two big box retail

stores. There were fears the small busi-
ness community would implode and that
downtown could turn into a dead zone.
So far that hasn’t happened. Aside
fram the ‘Terrace Co-op, most’ stores
have adapted and tried to take advantage

.of theincredsed regional shopping draw. +:
~-dn-slaying ouvok such-situations. Coun-: ‘teaused by the: presence'ot, theiblg boxes,

. Terrace his suceeeded-in becoming the
regional commercial centre. The wisdom
of that slrategy has probably: been rein-
forced by the behaviour of neighbouring
communities. Prince Rupert is trying to
trace the leakage of their shopping dol-
lars and Smithers has recently concluded
it needs a big box store to try to ‘keep
local shoppers there.

“Fulure commercial

development

Probably a bigger i issue is what liap-
pens next?

Will-the next major retailer — be it a
London Drugs, a Staples, or a Home
Depot — be a larger stress on smaller
stores without bringing § more regional
dollars ta tawn?

A more immediate question is how
will the. new council, balance-the de-
mands for more commercial activity
aldhg the highway against the need to
keep the downtown strong and viable. :

Terrace’s city planner had pushed. for

’. fough restrictions on new strip mall de-

velopments alung the highway commer-
ciat zones. Adlowing large numbers of
small shops to inhabit commercial strips

there will threaten the integrity of the
downtown, he’s warned.

The proposed restrictions have already
been watered down from what the plan-
ner wanted, bul that hasn’t gone far
enough fur the liking of developers who
own large properties along the highway.

The new council will have tu make a
vhoice,

Amalgamation

The hot issue in “96 — whether Terrace
and surrounding rural areas should merge
- was laid (0 rest in that year’s referen-
dum defeat and remains in slasis in ‘99,

It’s not likely to re-emerge until rural
voters sce a major benefit to joining
Terrace — probably when taxes oulside
city limits are markedly higher: than
within. oo

But the relationship between city and
rural laxpayers and how they share costs
remain.

How aperessive will the new council
be in pushing the rural areas to contrib-
ute more to costs and services that. the
city would like to see cost-shared?

Parkland

The amount of physical greenspace in
the city hasn't increased any. But it
sometimes seems like it has.

The last three years saw the city em-
bark on several improvements to trails
and recreational access lo green areas.

The Howe Creek trail has undergone
huge improvements. Plans are-in the
works for a dramatic linear park along
the highway and a new park beside Her-
itage Park. And council hasn’t shied

“away from putting money behind park

improvements,

The convenient access to walking,
hiking and biking routes amounts to a
major improvement in quality of life.

To the general public, what’s been ac-
complished so far probably amounts td a
good start, rather than the end of the job.

‘Future priorities likely include a river-
front trail, more improved routes to the
Terrace Mountain trail system, a green-
way along Spring Creek, more neigh-
bourhood parks in new subdivisions, and
maybe even a pedestrian overpass cross-

:ingethe railway tracks. Most of tat has”
«Yviready been contemplated! and''even: “It's ‘als 'been ‘4 ‘factor of whether’ lo. al-
«mapped aut -by,ihe city: planner in.

amendments to the Official Communily
Plan.

Environmental! problems

How clean does the city want to be?
And how much are we willing to pay?

That's at the crux of decisions like
what level of sewage treatment to use,
how to-go about closing the city dump,
and what degree of responsibility (if any)
to. take for the water problems on
‘Braun’s Island,

In cach of those pending decisions,
city council may find itself choosing

_ between Cadillac options and cheap fix-

as,

The same balance between service lev-
els and willingness to pay dictate wheth-
er the city will put big bucks behind
things like comprehensive recycling and
composting programs — areas in which
Terrrace currently lags far behind other
northwest towns,

Paving

Good ald blacktop could be an issue ~

for some voters. _
The cily has stuck’ to its Local Im-

provement Project system of paving res-
idential streets, While the city pays to
pave major roules, most residential
streets only get repaved “when a major-
ily of homeowners there agree, lo should-
-er-mast of the cast ~

It’s not a perfect system, but it dacs
stretch city tax dollars further.

As roads deteriorate further, something
must eventually give: cither council’s
will to ‘stick to the policy or resi-
dents’delermination not to pay for pave-
ment out of their own pockets.

Aboriginal relations

Were the current councillors out of
step with local citizens in voicing their
support for the Nisga’a Treaty? Will the
new council take a different view?

Some folks may see support for the
treaty as coming at ihe expense of sup-
port for Jogging contractors and others
who may end up out of work because of
it.

Others may think the current council
hasn’t gone far enough in fostering gaod
aboriginal relations.

Besides being tremendously important
players in the tacal economy, neigh-

“ bouring native groups will be increas-
ingly powerful players as trealics came
inlo effect.

And good relationships can pay off at
unexpected times.

The city was fortunate thal - after re-
jecting a casino inside Terrace — the Kit-
sumkalum band just west of town didn’t
opt to allow one there.

The city warmly welcomed the Nis-
ga’a Tribal Council in hosting its annual
convention here this year and sent repre-
sentatives to New Aiyansh when cele-
brations marked the conclusion of the
treaty. Now the Nisga’a -— seemingly out
of the blue — say they want to make a
sizable contribution to the building of
Terrace’s multiplex,

Moral issues

Occasionally issues come up that test
whether a council takes a conservative or
liberal stance on so-called “moral
issucs”. Examples include past debates

condom machines in public Washrooms.

low casinos here and the council-deter-
mined level of priority for drug enforce-
ment by the RCMP.

Nothing on the radar screen in this
category, but there’s no telling what
(hree more years could turn up.

Secrecy

Councils sometimes use their power
to conduct deliberations behind closed
doors to excess. And that’s sometimes
an issue that gets raised at election time.

Legitimate uses of in-camera meetings
include personnel matters, property and
labour negotiations, aid legal issues —
basically any situation where the city’s
position can be damaged by the release
of information. Improper uses are typi-
cally when council wants to debate a po-
lentially controversial course of action
without anyone knowing about it yet.

This council had a strong tendency to

' unjustified secrecy early in its lerm, but

has improved over the last year.

New regulations under the Municipal
Act have just taken effect that place
greater restrictions on the use of in-cam-
crm meetings.

Terrace’s property taxes

grapple with
many issues

Lots of spots open on regional
district board, school board

By CHRISTIANA WIENS
.WHILE Kitimat-Stikine re-
gional district directors face
the constant battle of con-
vincing the province to for-
give Shames’ outstanding
debt, improve tourism and
Hwy 37 north, they also
face a rash of inter-region
shallenges, involving wha
pays for what.
~Atop thal list this ¢lec-
_ tion year are Terrace’s $7.6
million multiplex, and how
"much money outlying area
- taxpayers should contribute
when more commercial ar
gas Of Thornhill still require
4 commercial gas line ex-
tension.
+ While Terrace-Thorahill

. - amalgamation seemsa fairly

quiet if not dead issue so far,
the idea of specific’ com-

bined services such ns where
to put a possible sub-re-
gional landfill are immin-
ent,

Health care issues, such
as the future of air am-
bulance service to the narth
and 911 emergency service
are also up for future discus-
sion as are the impact of
Gitanyow, Haisla and

Tsimshian treaties. nearing:

the approval-in-principle
stage.

As of Friday afternoon,
only two directors had sub-
mitted nomination forms.

Les Watmough, is ‘re-
running fo represent Thorn-
hill, or Area E,

And David Brocklebank,
in Telegraph Creek has ‘put
his name in the hat to repre-
sent that region for another

Les Watmough
term.

Only one director, Gar-
don Robinson in Arca C,
has said he won’t run this

year.

His region represents
outlying areas of -Terrace
such as Lakelse Luke,
Braun’s Island and Jackpine
Flats, and Kitamaat Village.

“The vacancy opens. the
door for residents-in those
areas to plug ina designute

to debate contentious [Issues _

such as the dump, Thornhill

commercial gas line exten-.

sion, and the water issies
surrounding Braun’s Island.
As of Friday, no one has

‘slepped forward to seek the:

nomination in that area.

Stew Christensen

District secretary Verna
Wickie said cight people
have picked up nomination
forms so far,

By last Friday no one had
filed a nomination for the
position ‘of-a Coast. Moun-
tain School District trustee,
who serves Terrace, Kili
mat, HazeHon and Stewart
areas,

“Terrace. trustec.. Stew
Christensen admitted: he
won't run in: this. year’s
elections, while Peter: King,
Kitimat trustee, said he will
run for re-election. ©

District residents have
until 4 p.m. Friday, Oct.15
to ‘submit “nomination
forms. - en

have been held stable

A home assessed at
$101,000 in. 1992, for ex-
ample, paid $971" in city
faxes: and $2,164 in total
(including schoo! district

~ and other levies),

The same house in 1999,
now assessed at $150,200

afler seven yeats of average.
‘assessment increases, pays

City property taxes |

HOW well has city council
done in holding the line on
property taxes? ~~
Fairly well, it turns out. .
The actual residential iax a ne
tate levied by the cily has OBO prs
dropped from $9.62 per c “a60 or
thousand of assessed value ; -
in 1992 to $6.16 in 1999 — , 2407
a drop of around 35 per cent. y 920}
What's more important to 900
homeowners, however, is 4
the actual amaunt of money a 880
(hey pay. x
Since house assessments e 7
have gone up over the last s 840
seven years, while the rate B20):
collected fell; the amount of B00 Ld
tax actually pald to the city
_for most homes has not
fluctuated drastically. .

1992 to 1999

THIS GRAPH shaws the city property tax bill of a Ter-
race home assessed at-$107,000 in 1992 that has ex-
perienced average assessment increases each year,

reaching $150,200 in 1999.

less in laxes today than it
did in 1992 — $925 in tax to
ihe city in 1999 and $1,923
in total property tax,

In the years since 1992
that home’s city tax bill has
stayed in a tight range from
$878 to $933,