The City of Port Coquitlam C ™ lL Ni C i L

MEMORANDUM
MAY 1 7 1993

TO: B. Kirk DATE: May 11, 1993
City Administrator

FROM: J. Maitland, City Treasurer -
Deputy Administrator

SUBJECT: White Paper - Library Act »

RECOMMENDATION:

That City Council write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Housing
requesting that section 41(2) of the proposed Library Act be amended to apportion costs
based 100% on the basis of the population.

BACKGROUND & COMMENTS:

The Provincial Governments "White Paper: Library Act" proposes a complete overhaul of
the Library Act. One of the areas recommended for change is how the library system
costs are allocated to the members.

At present, if there is not 100% agreement among the members, the minister would set out
the basis of allocating the costs to the members. For the last few years there has not been
unanimous agreement in the FVRL and the minister has set down that costs will be
allocated based 1/2 on assessments and 1/2 on population.

The result of this allocation is that residents in the westemm end of the FVRL pay a higher
portion of the costs than residents in the eastern end of the FVRL. For example, the per
capita cost here in Port Coquitlam is $17.30 while Chilliwack the cost is $14.87 per person
and for Mission the cost is $13.99 per person. The disparity is growing larger with the
change in property values, in 1990, Port Coquitlam’s per capita cos: was $13.95 while the
per capita for the whole FVRL was $13.87 a relatively small difference of only 8 cents per
capita. Our 1993 per capita is $17.30 while the per capita for the whole of the FVRL is
$16.68 a difference of 62 ceins per capita.

Under the proncsed legislation, if 75% of the members agree on the method of cost
sharing then it shall be binding. However, if 75% agreement is not attained then the
present formula of 50% allocated based on assessment and 50% allocated based on
population is to be used.

Attached is some 1991 and 1992 information on this subject.

I should also point out that Councillor Talbot and myself met with Gordon Ray and Paul
Hinton of the FVRL on February 11th, 1993 and again outlined our concerns.

. Maitland, City Treastrer -
' / Deputy Administrator

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JM/ms