The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 9, 2002 - A3 New housing project in a aray area 1 oa eee _ Tax decision to be appealed THE NORTHERN Health Authorily will iry again to have its new McConnell Estate supportive housing project on the bench ex- empted from city property tax. City council last month ruled the project will have to pay at least $40,000 a year — a figure health au- thority housing official Peggy Juiseth says neither the authority nor residents can afford. The problem is that the project is not a licensed care facilily and it is not a hospital, both of which would result in it being tax exempt. But itis not a pure resi- dential facility either as residents do receive food and home care services, said Julseth. “It falls between the cracks,” she said. “Supportive housing is a new concept.” Julseth argues that the project is also meant to be affordable. But transferring $40,000 in taxes to residents could add as much as $150 a month to the 21 resident units at McConnell. Julseth said there was never any hint from city officials that the project would be subject to prop- erly tax. She noted that the land itself was not taxed in the years it sat empty while several societies pushed for the construction of some kind of supportive housing. Julseth’s impression is that the city wants to tax penses are subsidized by an annual operating grant from B.C, Housing, the provincial crown corpora- tion responsible for social housing projects in B.C. It and the federal govern- ment also provided the money for the project. One of Julseth’s options is to ask B.C. Housing for more money. B.C. Housing chief ex- ecutive officer Shayne Ramsay last week said the operating grant provided to - Estate is_ McConnell meant to reflect expenses such as property taxes. Julseth said B.C. Hous- ing officials who negolia- - ted the grant were aware of the no-tax premise dur- ing negotiations for the an- nual operating grant. “They saw the zero on the budget line,” she said. B.C. Housing’s Ramsay also pointed out that haus- ing operators elsewhere work with their municipal governments to ease costs. “It could be donating land, or other ilems,” he said. A list provided by B.C. Housing, for example, shows that Esquimalt pro- vides a $126,000 tax ex- -emption on a 40-unit sup- portive housing project. Prince George has also exempted property taxes on a new supportive -hous- ing complex there that is being run by the Northern Health Authority. The municipality in Midway donated land worth $132,000 and added $100,000 in equity. The city here did waive the project because it is; building permit fees for hurting due to falling tax revenues caused by the economic slowdown. Julseth noted that other’ care facilities, ones which are licensed, inside city li- mits are exempt. - _ Also.-exempt is “the: Birchwood ‘Place’ adult: Te*4 + subsidizing ‘other levels of sidence, another licensed facility, in Thornhill. McConnell Estate ex- McConnell Estate. In making the no-ex- emption decision, city councillors said the health authority should have bud- geted for property taxes. “lf we exempt ° “them” from: ‘taxes, we're in. effect. government,” said coun- cillor Val George. HERTA ALBRECHT loves her new home in the McConnelt Estate supportive housing project because it is designed to be user-friendly to people in wheel- chairs. But she may not love a recent city council to place a property tax on the property that could be at least $40,000 a year. The Northern Health Au- thority, which looks after the project, is asking the city to change its mind. City trims tax exemptions CITY COUNCIL has rejected several ap- plications for property tax exemptions. Including are properties used by Ter- race and District Community Services Society to operate Skeena Family Re- sources and to run training programs. City treasurer Judy Degerness noted the socie- ty gets prants from other governments. The Terrace Child Development Centre loses 23 per cent of its tax exemp- tion because that’s how much space it’s using to run a daycare in competition with other operations in town. It means the centre will have to pay $3,500. oo The: cityzis . also taking a harder. look at rented out for yoga classes and to the Nisga’a Lisims Government, In all, the city will exempt praperty taxes totalling nearly $52,000 and reject requests totalling more than $48,000. Churches and educational institutions are automatically exempt. Other groups on the exemption list in- clude the chamber of commerce’s tourist information centre, the cusling rink, the Terrace Little Theatre building, hospital women’s auxiliary store, the Kin Hut, the Elks Lodge, the Kermode Friendship Soc- iety and a bus garage. Jronically, the. bus garage is located ; “ churches’thatérent ‘out: space! St*Mat-* just “‘métres“frony’ “the”: Mc@oiiiell Estate ” thew’s Anglican’ Church’is getting’an ex- “supportive housthg' project” which has "had its exemption request denied. The garage is also owned by the health authority. emption only on property used for wor- ship. That excludes parts of its building . “the lightest in its class! rop &:Roll Chain Case Adjustable: § | Stance Snowmobile season. may be weeks ¥ With every appointment booked between Oct, 9th - Oct, 23rd - receive a sachet of Relaxing Seaweed Bath Crystals! a ae es al News In Brief Roger and the Queen SKEENA LIBERAL MLA Roger Harris was one of a sclect group of dignitaries offered the chance to mingle with royalty in Vancouver Oct. 6. He was a guest at a reception for Queen Eliza- beth El and Prince Philip hosted by Premier Gordon Campbell between the first and second periods at the Vancouver Canucks-San Jose Sharks hockey game. The Queen performed a royal first by dropping the puck at the start of the game. Harris, born in England, is a self-confessed mon- archist. “My mother would have loved to been able to go,” he added. The reception was billed as an informal event, unlike the more formal “walk-abouts” that have characterized the Queen’s public appearances. Speaking before heading down to the event, Har- ris wasn’t sure if he was also going to be able to watch the game. “I’m not sure if [the Canucks] want to be giving tickets to politicians,” he said. Two injured in collision with a moose TWO PEOPLE were injured and a moose was killed after a late-night highway collision east of Terrace. Terrace police received a report of an accident just east of Terrace near Chimdemash at 1:46 a.m. Sept. 27, Terrace RCMP Constable Natasha Stultz said. “The moose was struck in the eastbound lane and it went over the driver’s' side,” Stultz said. Three occupants were in the eastbound van Two of the occupants suffered minor injuries and the moose was killed on impact, she said. While the accident occurred late at night when animals are not very visible, Stultz added it was also very foggy at the time of the crash. Local man goes missing TERRACE Water Rescue members, RCMP and family and friends of Terrace hunter Ed Shulmeis- ter, 51, scoured the Beaver River area last week- end trying to find him after the boat he was travel- ing in took on water and sank. Schulmeister, his brother and a friend were hun- ting in the area north of Rosswood Oct. 2. The trio’ were in a 21-foot aluminum river boat on the river when it started to take on water, said search man- ager Dave Jephson. Als three men tried to swim to shore but when Schulmeister’s brother and friend got to land they couldn’t spot the man. An extensive search of the surrounding bush, the river banks and the water continued into the weekend but as of Saturday, Oct. 5 the man had not been found, Jephson said. The three men were seasoned hunters and were very familiar with the area., Jephson, said, there's been an outpouring of people wanting, to assist in ‘the search. Bu, due, io the controlled” nature ‘of ihe search ‘anid to ‘enguré” the ‘safety ‘ofthe ‘searchers, Jephson said that help had to be turned down. CA BOTANA ENZYME. ‘The Balancer | Walness Spa Collecions For Foe, Hai, Body, Hands & ea : — For Men & Women . 4808 Larzetle Aeernue Tees weesdlay Saturday Ciath for epyroinionent OZ G-SSIF