Dear RPA members,
You may or may not be aware the Tofino Council and FRAP (Fixed Roof Accommodation Providers) are in discussions about the use of a portion of MRDT (bed tax) monies coming back to the community for helping with the costs of sewage treatment. I believe few in the community are aware of this. The Tofino RPA offers the following letter sent to Council representing our point of view. It would seem in the interests of the community for there to be some public discussion.
Mayor and Council
On behalf of the Tofino Ratepayers Association I write to support the efforts currently underway to secure a portion of the MRDT and direct those funds toward the costs of sewage treatment. This will be of benefit for the District of Tofino, its citizens, taxpayers and businesses alike. It will benefit the whole community to help allay the onerous prospects of the only existing alternative, dramatic tax increases for everyone. It will also let us get on with removing what many consider a stain on the communities reputation, namely untreated sewage delivered directly into the ocean.
Thanks, to the FRAP members who have shown commitment to the community and are willing to partner with the community in new and positive ways. Because of your support we are on the cusp of solving this long-standing problem.
Some are not happy because the amounts of money are too low, or for some too high. A few suggest mechanisms that don’t yet exist should be used. I say this council initiative is good, because it is better. Better than where we were a year or two ago when council announced 53% tax increases. And far better than where we will be without it.
In general, the public very much supports this. I can say that with confidence because I have seen it firsthand. During the most recent by-elections, every candidate expressed in the RPA pre- election questionnaire put to the candidates, the need for funds for infrastructure, to come from the greatest group of users, tourists. For the tourists to shoulder their fair share of the costs. And the MRDT was the most frequently sited vehicle that could do that. In a ten-day period leading up to the election the Ratepayers web site had over 1000 visits and membership increased dramatically, largely because of this issue. There is a clear consensus on this issue in Tofino and Council clearly has a mandate to pursue this, and they have done so.
To be absolutely fair, some have suggested that a form of general sales tax across the board might be more appropriate. We don’t disagree with that sentiment, in principle, and would be willing to support working on that project with others in the community. However, no mechanism currently exists in the province to achieve that end. If, or when it is achievable, it could replace or amend or build on the work that is currently underway and take over at some point in the future, but it is very speculative right now and we need more immediate action. Use of the MRDT is ready to go.
Thanks to council’s work and the cooperative spirit of Tofino businesses and provincial government.
Cheers Jack Gillie
7 comments:
Looks like the "co-operative spirit" has been seen enough of by Tofino's businesses.
...D.O.T. agenda: Check out the agenda for the 9th.
Item 12-13.
There’s letters and delegations from a new ‘official?? organization’ called the West Coast Hospitality Association.
Protesting the use of the tourism tax for the sewer.
More tourism promotion or Infrastructure upgrades to support the tourism demands?
Looks like the line in the sand is being drawn.
Council will be deciding this in the next week.
Write council and tell them what's more important to you.
Here's my suggestion of how to share up the MRDT funds.
One third to infrastructure.
One third to advertising and promotion.
One third to tourism servicing. (By-Law, litter, garbage, beach patrols, washrooms, etc)
News Alert.
If you think tourists need to pay their fair share of Tofino’s infrastructure costs, listen up.
The big resorts are shirking their responsibility to the environment and to the community. The largest contributors to Tofino’s sewage are Tourists but the big resorts apparently don’t care.
The council is proposing to use a small portion of the sales tax on a night’s stay at resorts to help pay for the exorbitant costs of sewage treatment. This is a win win for Tofino for everyone. The affected resorts are resisting. even though it will cost them nothing. Even Vacation Rentals currently are compelled to pay much more to Tofino for Affordable Housing through the same mechanism, while the big resorts pay nothing.
Contact the big resorts and set them straight. It’s not just that they don’t want to help. The only alternative is your taxes will go up….way up. They don’t seem to care that the only other option is that you pay more while they receive the benefits, promote more tourism and produce more sewage.
Support your Mayor and Council. They are acting on behalf of the whole community.
Send your emails to: corporateservices@tofino.ca
Why don't you wait and see what the new association will present instead of throwing the negativity around?
There's no way the "big resorts" will just straight-up say no. That would risk ending the MRDT, which is biting the hand that feeds them.
I'm guessing they have an alternate option that will provide more funds than what the district was asking for.
With any luck, those funds would also not fall under the current restrictions on what they can be spent on, like the MRDT is.
We have been waiting for years for the big resorts to get it done. Wonder why no one trusts them. All they have offered is negativity. They hide in weeds and come out when it suits them. Just like your comments. They have never once engaged the public in an open conversation. Not in their interest I guess.
If they support the current proposal the money will be spent on paying down the costs of sewage treatment. If they had wanted to pursue an alternative where have they been. Why the eleventh hour Hail Mary They've had years to get ready for this. Some of the big resort leadership have flipped flopped on support several times. But what are we talking about.
As you say your just "guessing", and we will need "luck". Maybe you don't know what you are talking about. Unless you are one of them hiding in the weeds again.
I am hearing the the Hotels are nervous. I am hearing the whole Provincial tourist promotion program is in jeopardy, according to some folks who are subject to hair on fire conspiracies. Who is promoting those?
Actually, council has been a partner to the MRDT deal from day one. Has that been a problem?
Actually, the council proposal assures the tourism industry the same share of the MRDT as they have historically enjoyed. That share for tourism will likely even grow as business increases.
Actually the proposal by council gives the Hotels more say, rather than less compared to other solutions that may come to be. . The deal would be fixed for five years. At that time any changes would have to be supported by the Hotels so it couldn't grow into some maniacal beast, as some seem to think. Que King Kong frolicking in the rain forest. Feasting on innocent tourists. Unless of coarse the hotels agreed. Can't see that.
Actually the town faces new challenges that require new solutions.
I would think Council will be pursuing all available options as well, to find a suitable replacement that doesn't require the agreement of one section of the business community. Such as a separate sales tax, or other new tax invention. But all that will take a lot of time and work and cooperation to achieve.
Cooperation Something we urgently need. Or taxes, user fees, etc. will skyrocket. So take your pick. I am almost imagining the look on some faces. They open a utility bill or a tax notice ,or a business license fee, or some other way of collecting more money for the town, to see 53% increases. Remember those tax increases proposed a few years ago. Best to be avoided. Are memories that short
How can this even be contentious?
The portion of the MRDT that was paying down the info center is no longer required as the info center has been paid for. Now the council wants to be proactive and divert these funds to help service the interest payments on the ever looming cost of building a sewer treatment facility. The hoteliers, though they will get the same share of funds as they always have had go towards driving more business to their doors, are opposed. In fact, they are so opposed they are attempting a “work around” in creating a new “association”.
Pretty pathetic move by a group of particularly blessed group of individuals.
But, hey, maybe they are going to help the community maintain reasonable taxation and service fees with their new association. Give them a call and ask them.
these folks are acting like republicans down south act.
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