I'm going to talk to my boss and see if it will be reasonable for me to expect raises in my pay for the next five years, equal to the proposed tax rate hike in Tofino. I have a feeling that I'm going to be told that this would not be sustainable, and that I'll need to find a way to live within my means. Perhaps staff and council need to consider things from the same perspective.
The best part of this budget story is that it would have slipped below the public radar but for Jarmo bringing it forward to everyone's attention. He's done his job for no pay too. Maybe Josie and council should stop taking a salary until this mess is sorted out.
This was the feedback I sent to the District about the 2019 budget,
"In 2018 we collected $1931.00 per person in municipal tax. The Provincial median is and has been around $750.00 per person.
Our is and has been 2X higher and is projected to become 3X higher.
This means, we have over the last 10 years collected municipal taxes of $10,000,000's more than any other comparable size municipality.
Given that this money has been collected and has come in as cash into our community tax account, why have not put enough aside to cover infrastructure needs? What did need and buy with it?
It didn't go to the infrastructure. Where did it go? What did we choose to do with it?
Why do we now need to contribute additional $1,000,000's to cover maintenance of our infrastructure?
It has recently been pointed out that the average municipal tax bill in Tofino, is not as high as some other districts near us.
I want to point out that, using that metric is not a valid indication of tax burden.
Here's why,
classifying municipal taxes as being high, low or otherwise using the metric of,
"what is the high, low, average or median tax bill for property owners",
is not indicative of the municipal tax burden.
Rather it is an indication of the distribution of property values within any given district. Some districts have more cheap buildings, others have more expensive properties.
In the Canadian local government system, we the people, pool our money to take care of our common needs, such as roads, fire hall, water, sewer, management of land use for the common good etc.
We do so by electing representatives from amongst ourselves and by hiring additional help in the form of civil servants whose wages we collect as tax.
Many people often make the mistake of saying, "I rent, so therefore I don't pay district tax".
This is patently not correct, as even the renter of a single room in house pays the tax in the form of their rent and through purchases in all the other services and businesses where they make purchases.
With this in mind, even a small $500 per month room rent, has incorporated into it dozens of dollars of municipal property tax, perhaps even a $100.00 per month. And we are about to increase that by dozens more.
This is consistent with the data published by the Province of British Columbia, where the "tax burden per person can be found for every community in the province".
Using this matrix, as published by the province, Tofino is the third highest in all of BC, surpassed only by Whistler and Sun Peaks, both of which are large ski resorts.
If we zoom in and compare districts of similar size to Tofino, then Tofino wins the race. We have the highest per capita municipal taxation burden and are about accelerate to tune of another 50%+ increase.
Should we follow through and do this, we will leave everybody else in our dust.
Property values do not set tax rates. Tax rates are set by our elected officials, as is being done now.
161 districts in BC are able to manage their affairs without 9%, or more, YOY tax increases. Surely we can too.
Josie is out to create a legacy for her self prior to heading to Ottawa Stop spending! Eliminate these ridiculous job positions ! We are civil servant heavy for a community of less than 2000. Fiscal restraint indeed
Debating the details of the current budget is certainly a useful exercise. But a bigger picture shows just how gross the situation has become. For instance Ucluelet spends just over half what Tofino spends on an annual basis. Of course there are arguments for why this is so, but it is interesting...
Also if you look at annual spending Tofino has been increasing at over 15% per year, compounded year over year for over twenty years. That amounts to over 1000% increases in that time from an annual spending of $750000.00 in the mid 90's To current levels at around $14,000,000.00 No figures available for the last or current year
Won't bore you with all the figures, You can look them up for yourselves on the DOT website....You have to ask for years before those shown. The recent salaries are available
My point is, there is a culture of spending not prudence. It has been happening for years. The mayor stood at the All Candidates Meeting and announced to the hall "affordability" was a corner stone of her bid for re-election. Not just affordable housing but "affordability" for Tofino residents......Period
If that is still her "cornerstone" the buiding is about to collapse.
They say you can't fool "all of the people all of the time" but apparently you can fool enough of them most of the time so that it makes no difference.
Council is afraid of the district staff. We've seen it many times, at council meetings, where council discusses an issue, comes to a decision on it, and then looks to the CAO asking if they're allowed to do what they've decided. Like they need his permission to act. They seem to forget that this guy actually works for them, not the other way around. This culture pervades the entire municipal office. Likewise here with this budget. It's staff that have come up with all these grand ideas and exorbitant figures, and council doesn't have the courage to stand up to them and say "No!". This is all about the group employed in the district office feathering their own nest, creating work for themselves, sucking every possible dollar they can get from the citizens they're supposed to serve, and mayor and council failing to do anything to put a stop to it.
It feels like it's time for a citizens referendum on many of the expense items that appear to be the byproduct of out-of-control spending. So where is the miracle of a sewage treatment plant? That should be priority number one.
With regard the current levels of district spending being in the $7.5M to $14M range, I think it needs to be pointed out that large portions of that money, many millions, is in the form of grants and other transfers and should not be seen as a negative, rather they should garner praise for our elected officials and hired civil servants.
Our elected officials and hired district staff and representatives, are doing very good of succeeding in re-distributing provincial and federal money. The more of it that ends up in our village, the better. We win in the re-distribution game.
What we do need to take note of and be very concerned about is the component of district spending which we directly contribute by ourselves, our local tax problem/burden.
We have the highest tax burden in all of BC within communities of our size and are about to accelerate into the stratosphere.
All other similar sie communities have taken care of their needs over the past decade with $10,000,000's less local tax. Even our near neighbour needed millions less than us.
I can't post the graph here, so I made this graph using character text:
TOTAL MUNICIPAL TAX MONEY CONTRIBUTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF TOFINO VERSUS UCLUELET:
I was going to comment that council is killing the town. On reflection that is false, because 1)in a significant way, the Tofino that used to be is already dead and 2) the corpse has come back as a new life form, a zombie.
Think super high taxes impact our town, or our council. No it doesn't. Most of the town and Councillors themselves unaffected. Most fall into the categories of either pay no property tax, that is they do not own, or they write off the commercialization of their property against income. B&B's and VRs and tourist operators and seasonal workers Someone please correct me if I am wrong, as I mean no offense. Who on council will pay these taxes. Really, Perhaps Tom Stere is the only home owner/tax payer. How did he sneak in there.... How many on council fit into these two categories.
By the way, to Jarmo....Will the Landlord and Tenant Act allow these kind of increases to be passed along to renters.....At 5% a year? Who can answer this question?.....Tenants are a protected class.....Taxpayers, apparently,not so much.
So I say the town is dead. Not enough traditional resident taxpayers to have significant sway. Can't afford to live here unless you work for the gov't. That was going to be a joke, but, my God, did you see the pay levels at town hall. Unionised staff averaging near $100,000.00 per year. Unionised wages at 2 million. Did I get that right? Just reading from the 2017 SOFI. A new class of overlords. These are the people who are designing these expensive programs and initiatives, and benefiting from them. Are they living in a bubble? They can afford them. Their guaranteed annual increases can easily cover the difference.
So the town is reborn as a new zombie species. Voters used to be primarily home owner residents, And councils used to be home owner residents. Not any more. Voters consist 1) of seasonal workers(the new slave class, including the unhoused), if you moved here in April and stay on till November, you can vote. And who do you vote for? Someone who gives you free stuff and promotes parties and festivals, never a dull moment in "tuff". 2) a business class and resident/business class who benefits from all the spending because it promotes and supports tourism, and a class who can write off there taxes anyway, 3) you dumb smuck suckers who pay the bill cause you just live here and work, but not in government, no you have to earn your money in the traditional way.In Tofino the traditional middle and working class are on the outside looking in. Shut up and pay.
Jarmo, if this is what you are referencing, the number in the mid 90"s was $750,000.00 not $7,500,000.00. I apologise for my poor typing skills. Perhaps in addition to being hard to read it is hard to believe. The other point is that I agree, much of what council spends is coming in, in other ways, apart from property taxes. Money generated from fees and charges, water sewer, business licenses, development fees, bed taxes etc.and the free money from Provincial and Federal sources. It has all contributed to huge increases in annual spending. Councils seem to have gotten used to big spending. There is a culture of spending. That is the problem. Like a teenager whose allowance is too big, when they have to pay for things themselves, hardship often follows. But in our case just raise the taxes. Again, and Again. I do not disagree with your analysis. I believe we share the same concerns.
Thank you very much, Jarmo, for your efforts (on behalf of all of us) to bring the truth of this situation into the light. I believe that most of us understand the nature of the problem. What we don't seem to understand is what might be considered a reasonable solution. How can this established culture of indiscriminate spending be turned around? Elimination and reduction of programs? Reductions in staff levels? Hard limits set on any growth of budgets? Of course, none of these austerity methods would be popular, but are there any realistic alternatives available to us? Who is going to make the tough choices? Mayor and council don't appear to have the backbone to do it. Is a ratepayers association a good idea? Would such an association have any political clout? Could it help to institute a policy of change in the current way of thinking? The current tax situation, and the proposed future one, are not sustainable. How do we change this?
Can't argue that we face some upcoming substantial tax increases. However I suggest you read the following article to get a better and likely more accurate picture of tax rates in BC than that portrayed by Jarmo.
I wholeheartedly support the formation of a ratepayers association and will sign up as a member if such were created.
I propose that if such an association were to form, it could and should:
Review publicly available data and make comparisons of districts in BC (and maybe even Canada) on metrics such as:
1. Total municipal tax collected and as a function of population. 2. Total residential, commercial, industrial, farm, etc. tax as per information available from the province. 3. history and cost of water and sewer 4. history and cost of business licensing. 5. history and cost of public district parking, if any 6. debt versus net assets within districts and how and why they got there.
and a whole bunch of other metrics.
Once we know how it's done out there, we can talk about how to do it here in way which can be approved and supported by the majority of the population.
This will require volunteers to do volunteer work to go onto the internet and analyze the available data and to make reports which we can all believe in and understand.
Here is one suggestion for affordable housing that cost the taxpayers nothing. The town has land. Some has been identified for its own housing initiative. Sell off prezoned parcels for the private sector to develop. Use the proceeds, you could rake in millions in profits. Use that money for your own nonmarket initiatives, housing to offer as rental, low income whatever you want. Make even more money from rents worker housing etc. at low rates if you want. Get off the taxpayers back....Please.... I can't afford anymore affordable housing. You are killing me. All you are doing is feeding a consultant industry.
The District will never be able to provide the affordable housing, and should not, required for our residents. Housing has to be provided by those who do it best, the private developers. I understand that a new development at Yew Wood, privately developed and funded, is going to provide affordable housing. this is an example of what needs to be done. The District needs to rezone land for housing for developers, this is the only solution to provide housing and this is their responsibility. To assist in developing affordable housing the District, claiming that they support a affordable housing could assist by reducing the fees to developments, including their very high Development Cost Charges. Council claiming they are concerned about affordable house and then charging developers huge fees, just doesn't add up.
This notice was posted April 8th. The meeting is scheduled for April 16th. That is only 8 days notice to the public. That is not enough notice. It seems like the decision to proceed has already been made, and this notice is only being posted in order to give the illusion of transparency and consideration of public input. In addition, the meeting is scheduled for a Tuesday morning, when taxpayers (the people who will end up paying these outrageous costs) are usually at work, and are unable to attend. No instructions are given to assist any person who might wish to address council on any of these issues, or to make a submission regarding this proposed budget. This is not representative government, this is dictatorship, and it is wrong.
Attention 1:31 PM..... and all residents of Tofino!! Today, a small group of concerned taxpayers met and discussed the forming of a Tofino Ratepayers Association. The first members are committed, and a small budget has been started. The group will be associated with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. See this link...... https://www.taxpayer.com/media/MunicipalRatepayerGuide.pdf . Any concerned resident of Tofino will be welcome to join in this effort to bring some form of accountability to the corner of 3rd and Campbell. One of our initial goals will be to convince Ralph to join with us in our efforts, so we might benefit from his (much appreciated) years of experience in fighting city hall on his own, and throw the strength of many behind his efforts. Please be patient, as we get our first official meeting organized. Public notice of our activities will be available as things move forward.
To 9:30 Pm.....Please Identify yourself. This sound encouraging. I would like to find out what your plans sre.... No pressure, I understand you are just getting on your feet, so just a chat . Hard to do that with "anonymous".
Many of the items in the budget proposal involve free money. Money from gov't grants or agencies, but have strings attached, requiring matching money etc. or other contributions from Tofino.... Be careful, this sounds great, but it is a trap....As in, we can't afford all this free money. Strange but true.
Everyone, please, submit your objections to DOT asap. Get your friends and neighbours as well, to protest these outrageous proposals for tax increases..
I noticed from the draft budget that we spend about $250,000 annually on RCMP services.
It is also true that we collect about $150,000 in business licence fees just from short term rental businesses.
The reason for the short term rental business licence fees being so high, is because we are told it is necessary to police illegal short term rental operators.
Still, it seems odd that it should cost the equivalent of more than one RCMP officer to police about 300 short term rental operators, whose business practices are clearly visible on the internet.
It's not a tax, but it may as well be as I confident it doesn't really cost $150,000 annually to troll for illegal short term rental operators on the net.
Hey 12/19 at 8:16, You said: "..they write off the commercialization of their property against income. B&B's and VRs and tourist operators.." Some of what you say is spot on, however here is a correction that you asked for, as you seem to think that short term rental owners can somehow write off their tax increases and are somehow not "working class". Actually there are many working class residents who live on their properties and rent out rooms in addition to banging nail etc. Have done so for years to help make ends meet, largely because of high taxes and cost of living. These are working class to the bone. I'm one of them and I definitely will have to pay all of these taxes plus the increases in water/sewer fees and I can't "write them off". Some business expenses can be written off against income tax but not against property/municipal taxes. I've gotta pay like everyone else and a 50% hike in taxes is crippling and bordering on criminal. My family is making do right now, but I have ho idea how we are going to cope with this massive hike.
Vacation rentals and B and B operations pay only residential taxes. It would be a more level playing field if they were to pay commercial taxes which are substantially more. Hotels and motels pay steep taxes.
@6:35PM and 8:09PM: There needs to be a shift in thinking. Instead of trying to categorize who the "workers" are, or who's commercial vs residential, or dividing ourselves in a multitude of other ways, we need to come to an understanding that we're all alike here. We're all victims. Regardless of your status in the community, you are suffering because of the waste, mismanagement, and extravagance of mayor, council, and district staff spending your money like there's a bottomless well of it that they can casually toss around in any manner that they choose. We, the people, cannot afford to be divided by arguments like those you have posted. (Although, in both your cases, I agree with the points you make. You are correct.) Dividing ourselves only serves to weaken our collective stance against the over-taxation we all suffer from. Those who are reaping the benefits of this excessive taxation would be only too happy to see us consume our energy arguing these fine points, rather than joining together into an enraged mob of citizens, who have "had enough and are not going to take it anymore!" This angry mob, this they fear. We, the people, working together, with right and justice behind us, have the power to cut off their money. Unfortunately, it's come to the point of "us vs them". It needs to be turned back around to the way that it's supposed to be: "Them serving us".
Here's an idea. Maybe Council could work some type of deal like Major League Baseball. Let's trade Dorothy Baert, Aaron Rogers and April Froment to Quesnel or Rock Creek, for a 2021 2nd round draft pick, cash considerations, and a player to be named later.
Talk to your friends and neighbours. Everyone, I speak to about this is shocked and is wondering what to do. The period for comment to the DOT is about to, or has already, expired. We were given scant notice. It would take some hours, perhaps days, to fully digest all the information of the budget proposals. Another sign of disrespect from our masters.
I say send in your comments anyway, then send them in again....But while you and your friends and neighbours are doing that, remember that if this is to be anything more than just another bitch and fizzle, and this time it has to be, we must keep our eye on the long game. We must organize, to present an effective opposition. That requires not only broad support but also for those who have the time and ability, taking the initiative in creating a Taxpayers Organization, or Ratepayers Organization. Is that you.....Your Community needs YOU.
Everything and everyone is affected, and should be able to support this sort of effort. There are no benefits to such a high tax environment, to a system that cripples it's own citizens and forces them to move. Everyone has to think about what kind of community we want Tofino to be, when increasingly it becomes a place that it is impossible to live in, for old people, for those who are retired or should be because of ill health, for working folk trying to get bye, for young people trying to get a started in life , for families who need a place to raise kids.
The way Tofino has been going, and now this tax proposal,it represents the HOLLOWING OUT of the community, not only for those soon to be marginalized and displaced but for those who remain.
Thank You 9:12 AM You are correct, and the movement has already begun. The first public meeting is now being organized, please be patient, this all takes time. https://www.taxpayer.com/media/MunicipalRatepayerGuide.pdf
!0;22 is right on, we cannot afford the free money! I am in full support of a taxpayers group being organized, as Council is completely beyond their abilities and need to be brought to their senses by the people who pay the bills. I love 9:07 comments, having a great sense of humour is important at this time!
@ 09:00 Thanks for the comments, you are entirely correct and I am sorry if I came across as divisive in what I wrote. I was just responding (to 8:16) to what I felt was an attempt to carry on that very divisiveness we both know we do not need and to point out that many of the folks that are renting out rooms in their homes to tourists are the working class residents the writer was concerned about. We all need to come together to fight this wretched idea that continuing to raise taxes is somehow the best way to deal with Tofino's needs. I don't recall voting for that in the last election and I am pretty sure no-one else did either.
For those interested, The Tofino Ratepayers Association is currently being formed. This takes a bit of time, we first need to get registered as a non-profit entity under the Society Act of B.C. You can register here to receive updates, or to become a founding member of the association: https://thepublicpurse.ca/ . The website is still under construction, please be patient as things are put together. NO ONE needs a 53% hike in their taxes! Join us, as we act with you and with your support, to try to put a stop to this insanity, and all the other waste of public funds going on at The District Office. Note: No taxpayer paid consultants were used in the creation of this notice, just ordinary citizens doing for themselves what our municipal government is failing to do for us.
I'm going to talk to my boss and see if it will be reasonable for me to expect raises in my pay for the next five years, equal to the proposed tax rate hike in Tofino. I have a feeling that I'm going to be told that this would not be sustainable, and that I'll need to find a way to live within my means. Perhaps staff and council need to consider things from the same perspective.
ReplyDeleteThe best part of this budget story is that it would have slipped below the public radar but for Jarmo bringing it forward to everyone's attention.
ReplyDeleteHe's done his job for no pay too.
Maybe Josie and council should stop taking a salary until this mess is sorted out.
This was the feedback I sent to the District about the 2019 budget,
ReplyDelete"In 2018 we collected $1931.00 per person in municipal tax. The Provincial median is and has been around $750.00 per person.
Our is and has been 2X higher and is projected to become 3X higher.
This means, we have over the last 10 years collected municipal taxes of $10,000,000's more than any other comparable size municipality.
Given that this money has been collected and has come in as cash into our community tax account, why have not put enough aside to cover infrastructure needs? What did need and buy with it?
It didn't go to the infrastructure. Where did it go? What did we choose to do with it?
Why do we now need to contribute additional $1,000,000's to cover maintenance of our infrastructure?
Jarmo Venalainen 240 Campbell Street, Tofino
Hi:
ReplyDeleteIt has recently been pointed out that the average municipal tax bill in Tofino, is not as high as some other districts near us.
I want to point out that, using that metric is not a valid indication of tax burden.
Here's why,
classifying municipal taxes as being high, low or otherwise using the metric of,
"what is the high, low, average or median tax bill for property owners",
is not indicative of the municipal tax burden.
Rather it is an indication of the distribution of property values within any given district. Some districts have more cheap buildings, others have more expensive properties.
In the Canadian local government system, we the people, pool our money to take care of our common needs, such as roads, fire hall, water, sewer, management of land use for the common good etc.
We do so by electing representatives from amongst ourselves and by hiring additional help in the form of civil servants whose wages we collect as tax.
Many people often make the mistake of saying, "I rent, so therefore I don't pay district tax".
This is patently not correct, as even the renter of a single room in house pays the tax in the form of their rent and through purchases in all the other services and businesses where they make purchases.
With this in mind, even a small $500 per month room rent, has incorporated into it dozens of dollars of municipal property tax, perhaps even a $100.00 per month. And we are about to increase that by dozens more.
This is consistent with the data published by the Province of British Columbia, where the "tax burden per person can be found for every community in the province".
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/facts-framework/statistics/tax-rates-tax-burden
Using this matrix, as published by the province, Tofino is the third highest in all of BC, surpassed only by Whistler and Sun Peaks, both of which are large ski resorts.
If we zoom in and compare districts of similar size to Tofino, then Tofino wins the race. We have the highest per capita municipal taxation burden and are about accelerate to tune of another 50%+ increase.
Should we follow through and do this, we will leave everybody else in our dust.
Property values do not set tax rates. Tax rates are set by our elected officials, as is being done now.
161 districts in BC are able to manage their affairs without 9%, or more, YOY tax increases. Surely we can too.
Jarmo Venalainen
240 Campbell Street
Josie is out to create a legacy for her self prior to heading to Ottawa
ReplyDeleteStop spending!
Eliminate these ridiculous job positions !
We are civil servant heavy for a community of less than 2000.
Fiscal restraint indeed
Debating the details of the current budget is certainly a useful exercise. But a bigger picture shows just how gross the situation has become. For instance Ucluelet spends just over half what Tofino spends on an annual basis. Of course there are arguments for why this is so, but it is interesting...
ReplyDeleteAlso if you look at annual spending Tofino has been increasing at over 15% per year, compounded year over year for over twenty years. That amounts to over 1000% increases in that time from an annual spending of $750000.00 in the mid 90's To current levels at around $14,000,000.00 No figures available for the last or current year
Won't bore you with all the figures, You can look them up for yourselves on the DOT website....You have to ask for years before those shown. The recent salaries are available
My point is, there is a culture of spending not prudence. It has been happening for years. The mayor stood at the All Candidates Meeting and announced to the hall "affordability" was a corner stone of her bid for re-election. Not just affordable housing but "affordability" for Tofino residents......Period
If that is still her "cornerstone" the buiding is about to collapse.
They say you can't fool "all of the people all of the time" but apparently you can fool enough of them most of the time so that it makes no difference.
Council is afraid of the district staff. We've seen it many times, at council meetings, where council discusses an issue, comes to a decision on it, and then looks to the CAO asking if they're allowed to do what they've decided. Like they need his permission to act. They seem to forget that this guy actually works for them, not the other way around. This culture pervades the entire municipal office. Likewise here with this budget. It's staff that have come up with all these grand ideas and exorbitant figures, and council doesn't have the courage to stand up to them and say "No!". This is all about the group employed in the district office feathering their own nest, creating work for themselves, sucking every possible dollar they can get from the citizens they're supposed to serve, and mayor and council failing to do anything to put a stop to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling really good about myself this evening. I voted for Jarmo, and only two of the sitting councillors.
ReplyDelete7:48 is right . Council is afraid of or intimidated by staff. They won’t think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like it's time for a citizens referendum on many of the expense items that appear to be the byproduct of out-of-control spending.
ReplyDeleteSo where is the miracle of a sewage treatment plant? That should be priority number one.
With regard the current levels of district spending being in the $7.5M to $14M range, I think it needs to be pointed out that large portions of that money, many millions, is in the form of grants and other transfers and should not be seen as a negative, rather they should garner praise for our elected officials and hired civil servants.
ReplyDeleteOur elected officials and hired district staff and representatives, are doing very good of succeeding in re-distributing provincial and federal money. The more of it that ends up in our village, the better. We win in the re-distribution game.
What we do need to take note of and be very concerned about is the component of district spending which we directly contribute by ourselves, our local tax problem/burden.
We have the highest tax burden in all of BC within communities of our size and are about to accelerate into the stratosphere.
All other similar sie communities have taken care of their needs over the past decade with $10,000,000's less local tax. Even our near neighbour needed millions less than us.
I can't post the graph here, so I made this graph using character text:
TOTAL MUNICIPAL TAX MONEY CONTRIBUTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF TOFINO VERSUS UCLUELET:
* Tofino
$6,000,000 *
$5,500,000 **
$5,000,000 ***
$4,500,000 ****
$4,000,000 **********
$3,500,000 ***** ######## Ucluelet
$3,000,000 ********** ##############
$2,500,000 ***************################
$2,000,000 ###############
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$500,000
__________________________________________________
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 etc……..
Jarmo Venalainen
240 Campbell Street
I was going to comment that council is killing the town. On reflection that is false, because 1)in a significant way, the Tofino that used to be is already dead and 2) the corpse has come back as a new life form, a zombie.
ReplyDeleteThink super high taxes impact our town, or our council. No it doesn't. Most of the town and Councillors themselves unaffected. Most fall into the categories of either pay no property tax, that is they do not own, or they write off the commercialization of their property against income. B&B's and VRs and tourist operators and seasonal workers Someone please correct me if I am wrong, as I mean no offense. Who on council will pay these taxes. Really, Perhaps Tom Stere is the only home owner/tax payer. How did he sneak in there.... How many on council fit into these two categories.
By the way, to Jarmo....Will the Landlord and Tenant Act allow these kind of increases to be passed along to renters.....At 5% a year? Who can answer this question?.....Tenants are a protected class.....Taxpayers, apparently,not so much.
So I say the town is dead. Not enough traditional resident taxpayers to have significant sway.
Can't afford to live here unless you work for the gov't. That was going to be a joke, but, my God, did you see the pay levels at town hall. Unionised staff averaging near $100,000.00 per year. Unionised wages at 2 million. Did I get that right? Just reading from the 2017 SOFI. A new class of overlords. These are the people who are designing these expensive programs and initiatives, and benefiting from them. Are they living in a bubble? They can afford them. Their guaranteed annual increases can easily cover the difference.
So the town is reborn as a new zombie species. Voters used to be primarily home owner residents, And councils used to be home owner residents. Not any more. Voters consist 1) of seasonal workers(the new slave class, including the unhoused), if you moved here in April and stay on till November, you can vote. And who do you vote for? Someone who gives you free stuff and promotes parties and festivals, never a dull moment in "tuff". 2) a business class and resident/business class who benefits from all the spending because it promotes and supports tourism, and a class who can write off there taxes anyway, 3) you dumb smuck suckers who pay the bill cause you just live here and work, but not in government, no you have to earn your money in the traditional way.In Tofino the traditional middle and working class are on the outside looking in. Shut up and pay.
Jarmo, if this is what you are referencing, the number in the mid 90"s was $750,000.00 not $7,500,000.00. I apologise for my poor typing skills. Perhaps in addition to being hard to read it is hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteThe other point is that I agree, much of what council spends is coming in, in other ways, apart from property taxes. Money generated from fees and charges, water sewer, business licenses, development fees, bed taxes etc.and the free money from Provincial and Federal sources. It has all contributed to huge increases in annual spending. Councils seem to have gotten used to big spending. There is a culture of spending. That is the problem. Like a teenager whose allowance is too big, when they have to pay for things themselves, hardship often follows. But in our case just raise the taxes. Again, and Again. I do not disagree with your analysis. I believe we share the same concerns.
I am new here. Is there a ratepayers association in Tofino. Surely one is needed
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Jarmo, for your efforts (on behalf of all of us) to bring the truth of this situation into the light. I believe that most of us understand the nature of the problem. What we don't seem to understand is what might be considered a reasonable solution. How can this established culture of indiscriminate spending be turned around? Elimination and reduction of programs? Reductions in staff levels? Hard limits set on any growth of budgets? Of course, none of these austerity methods would be popular, but are there any realistic alternatives available to us? Who is going to make the tough choices? Mayor and council don't appear to have the backbone to do it. Is a ratepayers association a good idea? Would such an association have any political clout? Could it help to institute a policy of change in the current way of thinking? The current tax situation, and the proposed future one, are not sustainable. How do we change this?
ReplyDeleteCan't argue that we face some upcoming substantial tax increases. However I suggest you read the following article to get a better and likely more accurate picture of tax rates in BC than that portrayed by Jarmo.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/news/taxing-vancouver-island/
I wholeheartedly support the formation of a ratepayers association and will sign up as a member if such were created.
ReplyDeleteI propose that if such an association were to form, it could and should:
Review publicly available data and make comparisons of districts in BC (and maybe even Canada) on metrics such as:
1. Total municipal tax collected and as a function of population.
2. Total residential, commercial, industrial, farm, etc. tax as per information available from the province.
3. history and cost of water and sewer
4. history and cost of business licensing.
5. history and cost of public district parking, if any
6. debt versus net assets within districts and how and why they got there.
and a whole bunch of other metrics.
Once we know how it's done out there, we can talk about how to do it here in way which can be approved and supported by the majority of the population.
This will require volunteers to do volunteer work to go onto the internet and analyze the available data and to make reports which we can all believe in and understand.
Any volunteers?
Jarmo
Here is one suggestion for affordable housing that cost the taxpayers nothing. The town has land. Some has been identified for its own housing initiative. Sell off prezoned parcels for the private sector to develop. Use the proceeds, you could rake in millions in profits. Use that money for your own nonmarket initiatives, housing to offer as rental, low income whatever you want. Make even more money from rents worker housing etc. at low rates if you want. Get off the taxpayers back....Please.... I can't afford anymore affordable housing. You are killing me. All you are doing is feeding a consultant industry.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.taxpayer.com/resource-centre/ratepayer-guide/
ReplyDeletehttps://www.taxpayer.com/media/MunicipalRatepayerGuide.pdf
Re: Taxpayer Organization. Where do I sign up. Someone needs to put out a notice of meeting. It could be a great platform for effecting change.
ReplyDeleteThe District will never be able to provide the affordable housing, and should not, required for our residents. Housing has to be provided by those who do it best, the private developers. I understand that a new development at Yew Wood, privately developed and funded, is going to provide affordable housing. this is an example of what needs to be done. The District needs to rezone land for housing for developers, this is the only solution to provide housing and this is their responsibility. To assist in developing affordable housing the District, claiming that they support a affordable housing could assist by reducing the fees to developments, including their very high Development Cost Charges. Council claiming they are concerned about affordable house and then charging developers huge fees, just doesn't add up.
ReplyDeleteThis notice was posted April 8th. The meeting is scheduled for April 16th. That is only 8 days notice to the public. That is not enough notice. It seems like the decision to proceed has already been made, and this notice is only being posted in order to give the illusion of transparency and consideration of public input. In addition, the meeting is scheduled for a Tuesday morning, when taxpayers (the people who will end up paying these outrageous costs) are usually at work, and are unable to attend. No instructions are given to assist any person who might wish to address council on any of these issues, or to make a submission regarding this proposed budget. This is not representative government, this is dictatorship, and it is wrong.
ReplyDeleteAttention 1:31 PM..... and all residents of Tofino!! Today, a small group of concerned taxpayers met and discussed the forming of a Tofino Ratepayers Association. The first members are committed, and a small budget has been started. The group will be associated with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. See this link...... https://www.taxpayer.com/media/MunicipalRatepayerGuide.pdf . Any concerned resident of Tofino will be welcome to join in this effort to bring some form of accountability to the corner of 3rd and Campbell. One of our initial goals will be to convince Ralph to join with us in our efforts, so we might benefit from his (much appreciated) years of experience in fighting city hall on his own, and throw the strength of many behind his efforts. Please be patient, as we get our first official meeting organized. Public notice of our activities will be available as things move forward.
ReplyDeleteIt's a special council meeting, so no public input is allowed.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to give input, you need to send it in at the feedback link,
http://tofino.ca/blog/view/2019-budget-feedback-wanted
If enough Tofitians send feedback such as,
"Our per capita annual municipal taxes are already over a $1000 dollars more than the provincial median. I do not support any more tax increases".
then the council cannot enact an increase.
A few hundred such individual feedbacks, should do it. ANd, even if it's a lot less, it will be on public record.
Jarmo Venalainen
240 Campbell Street
To 9:30 Pm.....Please Identify yourself. This sound encouraging. I would like to find out what your plans sre.... No pressure, I understand you are just getting on your feet, so just a chat . Hard to do that with "anonymous".
ReplyDeleteJack Gillie 735-3949
$12,400 for a logo refresh? Is this really necessary?
ReplyDeleteMany of the items in the budget proposal involve free money. Money from gov't grants or agencies, but have strings attached, requiring matching money etc. or other contributions from Tofino.... Be careful, this sounds great, but it is a trap....As in, we can't afford all this free money. Strange but true.
ReplyDeleteEveryone, please, submit your objections to DOT asap. Get your friends and neighbours as well, to protest these outrageous proposals for tax increases..
ReplyDeleteI noticed from the draft budget that we spend about $250,000 annually on RCMP services.
ReplyDeleteIt is also true that we collect about $150,000 in business licence fees just from short term rental businesses.
The reason for the short term rental business licence fees being so high, is because we are told it is necessary to police illegal short term rental operators.
Still, it seems odd that it should cost the equivalent of more than one RCMP officer to police about 300 short term rental operators, whose business practices are clearly visible on the internet.
It's not a tax, but it may as well be as I confident it doesn't really cost $150,000 annually to troll for illegal short term rental operators on the net.
Jarmo Venalainen
240 Campbell Street
It occurred to me this morning that we have lived as a wealthy and privileged people here in Tofino.
ReplyDeletePrivileged, because the purest definition of privilege in all of creation is,
(this is true whether you like to think of creation in a religious sense or not).
that only the privileged are allowed to make choices.
We're wealthy, because we have been able to take care of our own and common affairs with a combined wealth of $10,000,000's and $100,000'000's
It's sad that our elected officials now believe that the only path forward is for us to become wealthy, privileged and indebted.
Once we are indebted, I assure you, we will no longer be as privileged in how we handle our future affairs.
Jarmo Venalainen
240 Campbell Street
Hey 12/19 at 8:16,
ReplyDeleteYou said:
"..they write off the commercialization of their property against income. B&B's and VRs and tourist operators.."
Some of what you say is spot on, however here is a correction that you asked for, as you seem to think that short term rental owners can somehow write off their tax increases and are somehow not "working class". Actually there are many working class residents who live on their properties and rent out rooms in addition to banging nail etc. Have done so for years to help make ends meet, largely because of high taxes and cost of living. These are working class to the bone. I'm one of them and I definitely will have to pay all of these taxes plus the increases in water/sewer fees and I can't "write them off". Some business expenses can be written off against income tax but not against property/municipal taxes. I've gotta pay like everyone else and a 50% hike in taxes is crippling and bordering on criminal. My family is making do right now, but I have ho idea how we are going to cope with this massive hike.
Vacation rentals and B and B operations pay only residential taxes. It would be a more level playing field if they were to pay commercial taxes which are substantially more. Hotels and motels pay steep taxes.
ReplyDelete@6:35PM and 8:09PM: There needs to be a shift in thinking. Instead of trying to categorize who the "workers" are, or who's commercial vs residential, or dividing ourselves in a multitude of other ways, we need to come to an understanding that we're all alike here. We're all victims. Regardless of your status in the community, you are suffering because of the waste, mismanagement, and extravagance of mayor, council, and district staff spending your money like there's a bottomless well of it that they can casually toss around in any manner that they choose. We, the people, cannot afford to be divided by arguments like those you have posted. (Although, in both your cases, I agree with the points you make. You are correct.) Dividing ourselves only serves to weaken our collective stance against the over-taxation we all suffer from. Those who are reaping the benefits of this excessive taxation would be only too happy to see us consume our energy arguing these fine points, rather than joining together into an enraged mob of citizens, who have "had enough and are not going to take it anymore!" This angry mob, this they fear. We, the people, working together, with right and justice behind us, have the power to cut off their money. Unfortunately, it's come to the point of "us vs them". It needs to be turned back around to the way that it's supposed to be: "Them serving us".
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea. Maybe Council could work some type of deal like Major League Baseball. Let's trade Dorothy Baert, Aaron Rogers and April Froment to Quesnel or Rock Creek, for a 2021 2nd round draft pick, cash considerations, and a player to be named later.
ReplyDeleteTalk to your friends and neighbours. Everyone, I speak to about this is shocked and is wondering what to do. The period for comment to the DOT is about to, or has already, expired. We were given scant notice. It would take some hours, perhaps days, to fully digest all the information of the budget proposals. Another sign of disrespect from our masters.
ReplyDeleteI say send in your comments anyway, then send them in again....But while you and your friends and neighbours are doing that, remember that if this is to be anything more than just another bitch and fizzle, and this time it has to be, we must keep our eye on the long game. We must organize, to present an effective opposition. That requires not only broad support but also for those who have the time and ability, taking the initiative in creating a Taxpayers Organization, or Ratepayers Organization. Is that you.....Your Community needs YOU.
Everything and everyone is affected, and should be able to support this sort of effort. There are no benefits to such a high tax environment, to a system that cripples it's own citizens and forces them to move. Everyone has to think about what kind of community we want Tofino to be, when increasingly it becomes a place that it is impossible to live in, for old people, for those who are retired or should be because of ill health, for working folk trying to get bye, for young people trying to get a started in life , for families who need a place to raise kids.
The way Tofino has been going, and now this tax proposal,it represents the HOLLOWING OUT of the community, not only for those soon to be marginalized and displaced but for those who remain.
Organize....fight back.
Thank You 9:12 AM You are correct, and the movement has already begun. The first public meeting is now being organized, please be patient, this all takes time.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.taxpayer.com/media/MunicipalRatepayerGuide.pdf
ReplyDelete!0;22 is right on, we cannot afford the free money! I am in full support of a taxpayers group being organized, as Council is completely beyond their abilities and need to be brought to their senses by the people who pay the bills. I love 9:07 comments, having a great sense of humour is important at this time!
@ 09:00
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, you are entirely correct and I am sorry if I came across as divisive in what I wrote. I was just responding (to 8:16) to what I felt was an attempt to carry on that very divisiveness we both know we do not need and to point out that many of the folks that are renting out rooms in their homes to tourists are the working class residents the writer was concerned about. We all need to come together to fight this wretched idea that continuing to raise taxes is somehow the best way to deal with Tofino's needs. I don't recall voting for that in the last election and I am pretty sure no-one else did either.
For those interested, The Tofino Ratepayers Association is currently being formed. This takes a bit of time, we first need to get registered as a non-profit entity under the Society Act of B.C. You can register here to receive updates, or to become a founding member of the association: https://thepublicpurse.ca/ . The website is still under construction, please be patient as things are put together. NO ONE needs a 53% hike in their taxes! Join us, as we act with you and with your support, to try to put a stop to this insanity, and all the other waste of public funds going on at The District Office. Note: No taxpayer paid consultants were used in the creation of this notice, just ordinary citizens doing for themselves what our municipal government is failing to do for us.
ReplyDelete