‘

PAGE At, THE HERALD, Wednesday, Octaber 9, 1974

Bs

: The following brief is presented to you in an attempt to bring to
““your attention the financial dilemma in which most municipalities
.* in British Columbia now find themselves, We will attempt to bring
=" to your attention the inequities that exist in the present taxation
-gtructure, the inequities thal exist in the principle applied to the

: ‘unconditional grant structure to municipalities, the inequities that
exdat int the distribution of revenue derived from the processing o"
natural resources, and also some comments relaling to the
inequitable cost sharing of social services to individual _
_: municipalities. I believe at this time il would probably be ap-

: propriate to define tax, and [ quote from Webster's dictionary that
. taxis “lo require @ person to pay a percentage of his income,

property value, etc. for the support af the government.” Having
» defined tax I would like lo proceed with the problems that appear to

be inherent in the existing structure. We feel strongly and our

" ylews have been supported on numerous occasions by the Union of
B.C, Municipalities, in the concept of the responsibilities of local
- government in relation to its expenditures. It is our belief that the
principle that should be adhered to is one wherein local govera-
ments are responsible for services Lo property and senior levels of
government are responsible for services to persons. If this policy

were adopted by the senior levels of government then a great deal

of the financial difficulties: being presently encountered by
municipal governments would-be non existant. They would

disappear if this policy were adopted as two of the major factors

relaling to the financial municipal dilemma, that of educational

costs and social welfare costs would then be deleted from the areas

of responsibility of municipal governments and thereby allow the

~ expenditures of monies derived from-taxation of properties to be
used for the installation of services and facilities that are becoming

an increasingly more important aspect of communily life and it
would certainly have an beneficial effect on employee retention,

especially in the west central and northern seclion of British,

Columbia. ;

I'm sure it is generally canceeded that thal basic principle af
‘assessment is equality, and we believe that this basic concept
should also be the basis for consideration of a basic equality in the
life style and facilities of communities throughout the Province,

-~ In order to support the variations or inequities that exist, I will
quote from the Plunkett Report of 1971, page 40, titled “The Tax -
Base, The Home Owners Grant, and the Reallocation of Municipal
Revenues’. ‘While the property tax is the principle source of
Municipal revenue, its' productivity varies widely, both absolutely
and relalively. Some cf this variation is no doubt due to the com-
position of the base for property taxation, Value of Real Property
is the basis upon which the property tax is levied. Nat all Real
Property located within the municipality is subject ta taxation. «
- Certain lypes of property are exemp! fram the property tax levy.
. Inthe exempt category for example is the-property of ‘School

" Boards, ‘Religious Organizations, and the Municipalities them-
. gelves.: While legally exempt from Property Taxation, the
* Provincial and Federal Governments provide payments in lieu of
-property laxes on the basis of specific types of their property andin
_- stmpulated amounts.””. Refer lo Appendix A" to show the effect ”

-{hig.would have on revenue over and above the present 15 mill
government limilation. If I may refer back to the sentence with the
“exemption categories, I think it should be strongly considered that

‘all properties be assessed for municipal purposes with the possible
exception of Religious Organizations and Recreation facilities open
to" publie use, and assessed al -whal presumably will be the full
“market value for 1975. Again reierring to the Plunkett Report on
- "? Spage’al, the significance of the vartation of the municipal tax base

-» Hes in the fact thal a levy at a specified rate may produce three or -
four timy
‘same rale in-another munteipality. ‘Much of the variation “in

Meee wea,

vice ned ee
SSO,

- position of ‘the tax base in terms: af types of property, ie.
Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural, or Small
Holdings. An argument frequently advanced is that the cost of
;. muneipal servicing of Residential property is much higher per unit
of taxable value than is the case for Indistrial or Commercial
property. In general therefore, where there exists a relatively high
percentage of Commercial and Industrial property in one

‘to provide a given limil of services at a lower average impost. On
thisargument the report of a taxation inquiry commiltee in another

.- province was quite emphatic, Quate ‘Il is important to recognize
_- the implications for municlpalities of lack of balance in the lax
base. On average, a municipality with less than a nermal share of
- ‘business properties must impose heavier than normal taxes to pay
for’an-average compliment of local government services, not
withstanding some equalizing affects’ from pravincial grants.
Conversely the municipality withmore than the usual proportion of
. bustness properties, will on average, be able lo provide adequate
services with lower than normal taxation”, :
~ Atthis point Mr, Chairman, I would refer to Schedule “BH” of this
brief entitled ‘Assessment Comparison re “Property
Assessment Years 1969, 1973 and 1974 relating 10 the District of
‘Terrace”,. It would certainly indicate that the comments.
previously made are certainly in effect in so far as the District of
Terrace is concerned. The second most. important source of
“revenue for local government is (he unconditional grant provided

é

atte

silly.” He is. ‘
You see,: even. my. own

; family © didn’t put '-much
faith in mé;.even though

LET ME TELL YOU
OUT THE FUTURE
“by Bill Smiley
‘This ‘week, I'm gaing to
cemake twa predictions, For -
-too lang, ve been hiding
ny. light’ under a bushel,
whenil comes to forecasting,
and its time to come out:
«from under the bushel and
reveal that | am somewhat

fw seer, when it comes to

what like ‘Cassandra, the
lady from ancient Troy, who
was given. the gift of fore-
seeing the futtire, and, at the
sume- time, the curse that

‘her,
OK.
public, If Pim right, Pll have
politicians and poels, actors
and authors, beating a path,

wae
ate

Will | be famous? -Will I

into the U.N, It was done,
wow them? Will 1 write

Said the trout were dis-:
“appearing from our streams,
‘.because.of pollution, They ~
id. suggested [ would
- never be rich, 'm nots
"Bub nobody paid any
* 2 -atiention. Only within the
, vifamily. did anyone realize
“ethat T: had the gift of «
“prophecy. ‘I told my son,
CF you don’t stop goofing -
around, - you're going to
‘flunk. out of college.” He
did. 1 told my wife, “If you
s don't: stop worrying . so
much: about everything,
‘you'll be a nervous wreck,” -
“She‘is. I told. my daughter,
>» “H you pick that baby up
every. time he utters a
whimper, he'll be spoiled.

_ Pve decided to take on
an assistant, though’ it’s
enly to keep -his mother |
from starving in a cock-
roach-ridden apartment;

He will be Nikavy Chen,
my erindbabby. He's half
fey Irish and half romantic
German and = half blunt
Canadian, That: makes him.
150 per-cent.. A natural.
If he chortles, Ill tell my
whining clients “Yes”, {f
his face wrinkies and he
starts to whimper, as he
does, I'll give my customers
a blunt, “No.” We should
make-a million. With the
new child labour tows, I'll!

ania IT AT

a

= ga SPE RPP RETO TAA Mee

- editor

—».. Terrace Taxation Brief .

s.the,money, per. person, ag would the application of the . '
* cosis be discontinued as they are now established and thal they:

‘~ “taxable capacity. as between municipalities stems from the com- ©

aunicipality as compared to another, it permits that municipality

Type -

‘Bill Smiley"

Him always right. Pm-some-
nobody would ever. believe. we
It's time to go”

to ‘my: door, Will T wind).

the great Canadian novel? .,”

oe

pcan ceeaores eri

rp dee a
pees
ate oo 2
"!

iat
Pas

etree

ta

by the Provincial Governent. In referring to these grants I would;
again have to refer to the Inequjties thal exist ja this type of grant
distribution, and I would refer you to page 43 of the Plunkett
Report. “It is essential to note at this point. that none of the
Provincial Grants programs considered previously are based on ~
any recognition of the variations. in Municipal Fiscal abilily ap- —
plicable to the composition of the tax base." It certainly is self
evident that the $34.00 per capita grant in terms of Terrace, a
community of 10,000 people and an assessment of $33,000,000,00 for:
general purposes, thal this grant does not have the same impact as

a community of 10,000 people with an assessment base’ of
$50,000,000,00, Herein lies the inequily. Conversely the per capita
charge for soclal welfare based on the same system in effect —
penalizes the community that derives the bulk of its revenue from
laxes on residential properties, The present per capita charge of 85
cents in a community such as Terrace represents approximately 4
mills, whereas due to industrial - commercial, in terms of mills
would represent four or five times less impact on the homeowners. ,
Herein lies the inequities. : of

To this point Mr, Chairman we have attempted to outline to you
the problem areas which I’m sure are known lo you.and in many
instances the same set of circumstances do nol apply solely to the
District of Terrace. Al this time I would like to offer some
suggestions as to how the inequities may be overcome.

First I would like to refer to a resolution that was presented hy
the District of Terrace and endorsed by the U.8.C.M. Convention in
1973in Prinee George and! will quote that Resolution. on

“41, ADJUSTMENT OF PROVINCIAL GRANTS. TO

‘. MUNICIPALITIES - Terrace WHEREAS the revenue ofa

Municipality is derived principally from the assessment on lands |
and improvements within the boundaries of that Municipality; -
AND WHEREAS industrial complexes constructed for the’
purpose of processing raw materials provide the Municipality in -
which they are located with a high value of improved assessment
‘which benefits the Municipality; oo
AND WHEREAS Municipalities in which the harvesting of raw

materials takes place but from which the raw materials are. *

shipped to other jurisdictions for te purpose of processing, do not
have the benefit of the industrial assessment base, although they
are required to provide the amenities for the persons involyed in
the harvesting of the raw materials; ; ,

AND WHEREAS in British Columbia industrial complexes.
constructed for the purpose of processing raw materials tend to be
concentrated In certain areas of the Province; ~

AND WHEREAS the Government of British Columbia has
recognized the inequality of the aforementioned siluation and has
made adjustments to in part overcome thal inequality in its finance
formulas in the field of education: :

THEREFORE BE It RESOLVED that the Union af British
Columbia Municipalities make representation to the. Provincial
Government with a view to in part equalizing the Imbalance of
municipal revenue resulting from the concentration of industrial
assessment. \ :

(Endorsed by the North Central Municipal ' Association)
CARRIED," ; ; .

This I'm sure would go a long way to alleviate the financial
burden that is being placed on residences of many municipalities.
Insupport of this resolution I would alse refer you to Schedule “‘C"
which provides a comparison of revenue derived by various
communities as.a direel resull of the Forest Industries, which
again In our opinion only supporis aur position for a more equalized
distribution of revenue from the natural resources of this province... .
Should the province not accept the full responsibility for the.
payments of social services, then il is suggested that the per capita: *

levies to municipalities be raised on a per capita system, but in no:
circumstances ta excéed the product of two mills from that
municipality. This should undoublably be reviewed depending on
the results of the assessment policy lo be established in 1975, The ©
per capita grant as has previously beén mentioned probably:
represents the second iargest source of revenue for municipalities, -
but again I would have to point oul the inequities that exist in its
present method of distribution. We believe that the ‘'Ability to pay
concept should be introduced in the distribution of these grants”...
We are of the opinion that the manner in-which this could be ad-
ministered is to have the grant based on the assessment of the
communily itself, i.e. establish a mean per capita assessment and
raise or lower the grant in relation to this per capita assessment
figure. This could be based possibly on a format such as the
following that if the per capita assessment. is $5,000.00 the com-
munity would then qualify for a $34.00 per capila grant. This grant
on the olfer hand, in a community witha per capita assessment of”.
. $3,000.00 wauld then be increased in proportion to the difference in -
.the per capita assessment. | . Se
In closing it ig our belief thal the residents of Terrace, who are
primarily. engaged in the Forest Industry, supplying raw material

for Fulp Mills and Sawmills should be entitled (o as great'a share of. -

the taxation revenue
yare located. ©

Respectfully submitted
District” of Terrace

as the citizens wherein the processing plants:

call that,’ the “world. knew
*"-Canada ‘was. any goad at.
“ “was producing maple syrup,
“rye “whiskey cand. hockey
“players. ~. vo
-T've. heard women wha
_ wouldn't know a shiftfrom
-a-nylon:slip castigating the -
Canadian players .for all
sorts of sins, . sO
I've heard mature men,
who. couldn't even . skale:
- on! their ankles when -they
. were kids, shouting obsceni-
ties at our players becuase,

probably hav
ten per éent.- a

Well, here's .my - first’:
prediction, . This is. being’ -
written after the first half |”
of the Canada-Russia series..-.-
. They are all tied up. °°

2.to-give him .

With. that. group: of .
tottery ald men, who have ~~”
given a great account of -
themselves, and those’:
unknown. young players,
make up the WHE team,
it takes a lot of courage.”
te came out: with ajblunt |
forecast of the final result.

a * fergawsake.”
But here it. is. I: predict bs tase
“= and if I'm not right on, I've heard’ teenagers of
both sexes cheer when

the nose, Pll drink a bottle. ~ ¢
of vodka'on the town hall
steps — that 2,400. of the
2,500 Canadians going to
Russia for the. games there. -
will be drunk sixty per cent
of the time, and hung over
the other forty per cent.
As for the series itself,

. What does it matter who .”
wins? t's. only a game, |.
though a rather entrancing
combination of ballet and
mayhem. Se

Besides, Canadians are.”
the biggest sports cry-babies
in the world. If we lose,
we were robbed, If we win,.
‘it's. a victory of free -
enterprise aver authoritari: — -
anism, This is a nation.of |.

-» Monday morning quarter-
~ backs and late Saturday

night referees. _

_ We're anation of experts, .
especially in hockey; After
all, for several generations,

some Canadian ape rammed -
his stick into a Russian’s
teeth. ‘ ‘

Well, that’s — my“ first
prediction. The second is
that I’m going to win Mayor
_Drapoo's lottery, First prize.
Acool million, taxfree,

This prediction Is based

on. a. combination. of
prophecy and logic, not ,
just a wild hunch, o

’ Look. In the past two -
years, I've braken my toe,
my nose, two ribs, and the’.
law. ['m ‘not saying. that .
the Lord is picking on me.
I just don't think he's been '-
keeping an eye on this little
sparrow, when he falls. '

It's time for a different
_kind of break, and the law.
of averages suggests to the --
_ occult side of me, that it's’

going to be the Big Million,-

_ difference. .

“They're not hitting enough, .. -

> * The Arayla Syndicate Ltd. ,

“Ts

oy

—_——

—
COMMUNI

Reese

_—
=a
= f=
TF ee

?

FREEDOM!

<— the terrace_ herald ay ;
ios [ress Bt aE OVERS
= L I “
== LOS YOUR = |==
Z| common | =
2) prs THEMARIET |== |=
S2IZ=| race WHERE )|==|2=
PRES | ou MERCHANTS | pear
== |==| DISPLAY THEIR. |_SF
BS: |=— | dooDs AND SERVICES |—
== ==! rp ypHows THe |=
SEES | 5eEEDOM OF THE | ==
i PRESS AND GUARDS | ==
BIE) YOUR [Bran

‘| National Newspaper Week, Oc

t. 6-12 E

(3

Women
and.
Police

LADIES: 7
The B.C.. Police Commission

has establisheda TASK FOBCE -
ON WOMEN: AND THE

’ POLICE to study three areas of

eoncern, women as police of-

ficers, women as victims of

crime and women as. offenders. -
_Invall three of these areas the ..

relatlonship of: women to. the.

police may well -be different
from that of men to the police.
Tn studying these issues, the
Task Force wants to draw upon .
the experience of as many
women in as many parts of the ©
Province as possible. Thus, we
would like to hear the ex-
periences, opinions and ideas of
your groups and your com-
munities in these areas,

We realize thal, there are no
policewomen outside of Victoria
and Lhe Lower Mainland, bul we
would like to know how you
would react. to: women police
officers in your communities.
What ‘jobs do you ‘think’ they .
could do? Should do? - How do
you think -your community
would react to them? .. -

In the area of women. as
victims, we would like to know

what experiences women in:
your community have when . :

they are victims of crime. Are.
the police generally helpful and-
sympathetic or not? Is there a

1 in: treatment

depending on the crime, e.g.

burglary versus rape? How are

family. dispules . and . family .

- assaults handled? Do the police -

respond ai all to such. com-
plaints and how? a

Finally, if you have any in-
formation concerning the
treatment of women offenders
by the police In your com-.
munity, we would like to share”
it ;

-If you have any information
or ideas you feel would be useful
to the Task Force please con-
tact” Joanne Prindiville, the
researcher for the group, al

‘The Four-Way.

. Test ' || A weekly: published by Sterling Publications ‘Ltd.
a, Pe be (gil Publishid every Wednesday a1 9212 Kalum St.; -
Of the things we think, . . 4 Terrace, B.C. Amember of Varitied circulation.
SaY OF do, . , ie. , + Authorized os second ‘class mail, Registration
; 7 H ie _fumber 1201, Postage pald in cash, return
“1. [sit the TRUTH?: |. * postage guarantesd. Po
o SRAIR iow) | RUSTE EDITOR ADVERTISING, |
“ Concerned?- | «| | GORDON'W. HAMILTON; (PAT O/DONAGHY = “KAREN LANGLEY 4
"3. Wil 1 buifd GOOD:! : ec ge SPORTS "OT cL aeen TOOVEY oo
WILL ‘and BETTER: [MARK HAMILTON - -ELREEN TOOVEY he
Cen iene ed a 7 oe om te : Se . 7
- FRIENDSHIPS? . | oe SNE OF COPYRIGHT) De .
(4. \ WELT BE, - vat “the Heratd retains full, complete and sal@ copyright In any advertisement produced andor f°.

BENEFICIAL’. |
to all concerned?

_ letters io th

ve

above address. Since. the
Task Foree will be preparing
recommendations for con-
sideration by the BCPC at the

_ end of the year, input should be _

made as soon as possible to
‘have maximum effect.

Any information or ideas you
can provide will be greatly
appréecialed and ‘wil assist the
Task Force enormously in its.
study. And, if the information
warrants, it may provide the
basis for subslantive necessary
_charges. i
Yours truly,

Rev. R. A. Burrows;
Commissioner...

aE ae a
- Editors:: Nole:
Prindiville informs us thal-to
date, only four letters in the
above - regard. have . been
received by the Task Force and
these do not contain specific
recommendations. She URGES:
you fo respond to this letter as
_ quickly. as ‘possible with par-
licular suggestions for changes.

‘ne : oe *
oanne

nrelatetatetatetatatatnreraa tate e ats

e ed

Majority Movement | .

The Editor

On August! 16th last, I advised
the Sleering Committee that I
was resigning as Chairman of
the “Majority Movement, ef-
fective September 30th, 1974,

On September 20th, the
Steering. Committee appointed
Harry Macdonald, of Van-
couver, and Clare Copeland, of .
Victoria; as. ‘Interim. Co-
Chairmen effective October 1st,..

+ 1974.

Tam very-grateful to:all of
you for . the support and

' assistance which you have
i 1, Lbelieve our, Movement. °

give:
has-eccomplistied very mich ln ~
its short'life. ‘We can take some -
credit for the defeat of many
federal socialist candidates,
Most’ importantly, we have
helped to: focus the very real
danger of socialish as practiced
by the NDP, . We have also

made all opposition parties more

aware of their duties to the
public and have helped to make

the public more understanding _

itor

of the strengths,  and.--
weaknesses, of opposition:
members and parties, ~~

Lam pleased lo report [hat t
Majorily. Movement * is*-in®”

sound financial position. Ihave a &
enjoyed working. with our.”

former Executive-Director, ©. °-

‘Brian Tracy, my. Executive.
Assistant, Doreen Garbutt, the =
various members - ofthe .

Steering Committee and. the. - -:

many, many persons throught. -

thé province who have done'so
mucho. fn ETL
Thank you, sincerely, for all:

you -have, done. for Brilish:: ./:.
nd, please;de'not."":

Columbia’ -- and J
Jet up on your efforts to make

certain that we will havea’.
- sound, social reform ‘minded.

free-enterprise government,
after the next provincial.”
election. Sos! :
MAJORITY MOVEMEN
Amold Hean |

Chalrman’ |

ae A : Place. for Than ksgiving =

- Thanksgiving Day? Whatever for?. - ee
Families who shop for groceries and find that twenty-five dollars’ «>.
. worth can be contained ina couple of brown paper bags; who listen, 2.0:
* nlght-after night to a regular load of disaster on the eleven o'clock
“news, are likely tofeel more than a little cynical. : a
* ‘Obviously.contem porary lifeis no paradise - but wail; on balance
there still is a good deal for which to be grateful. Money may :
- -pvaporate, but when - until our generation - has it been accepted
“that na family’s income must be allowed to fail below a certain
--pinkmum, nol asa hand-out, but as their basic right. When, before’
.. : now, have all Canadians had access to good medical care, .
". Irrespective of financial standing? a
~~ On a broader eavas, when before in history has the notion that
--tich nations have a responsibility to share their bounty and their,
- gkilla, every been entertained, lel alone been acted upon? . Surely
these are realities for which ta be gratefut. ae
... So is the current concern for the good earth. Parks and green
.. belts within and araund ovr cities are growing; men and women :
’\ pealize thelr‘need of contact with basics If they are to be whole.:
: Urban or not, we stlll depend for physical sustenance on the fruit of

i

2) 7A thankfal heart i
* enriches us all. ~

“- soll and water and wind and sun - those marvellous elements our
.. fathers recognized as the gifts of a Creator God. ;
is not outmoded, and & pause lo express it

— Y

7

e hera

editorial or plictographic content published In the Herald.
; without the writtan permission of the Publisher. ~ :

635-6357

eproduction is not permitted = *

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