Vernon Property Tax Increase

[kiabird]

Saw the Castanet story on a 4.47% increase yesterday (I think).
Can't find it today.

Is the Mayor and council even living in the same world as the rest of us?
Business are going bankrupt, many will never reopen due to huge overhead costs (water, property taxes, etc.)

Maybe it's time for this--and other--municipalities/cities to start a permanent reduction in staffing.
Way, way too many bureaucrats in these pandemic times.
And when you think of how many there are in: RDNO, a ten minute drive away from Vernon city hall, Coldstream, five minute drive away from RDNO...over-governance again springs to mind.

Property tax increase? Should be ZERO in 2021!

[Even Steven]

Property tax increase? Should be ZERO in 2021!

What services are you prepared to go without to achieve it? Bylaw? Road maintenance? Parks? Street clean up?

[Boosted632]

Property tax increase? Should be ZERO in 2021!

What services are you prepared to go without to achieve it? Bylaw? Road maintenance? Parks? Street clean up?

Are you kidding theres a hundred different things they could trim the fat on and you wouldnt even notice the difference way to much wasted money

[typhoon44]

That's the nature of services. Everyone is willing to forego services that they don't use. This is exactly the purpose of government - to implement the services that benefit society as a whole, and not one selfish person's needs.

[Even Steven]

Are you kidding theres a hundred different things they could trim the fat on and you wouldnt even notice the difference way to much wasted money

So, once again - what services do you want to see trimmed in order to have 0 tax increase?

[kiabird]

Didn't suggest reduction in services; merely in bureaucrats.
A recent example would be the bureaucrat(s) who approved the contractor that performed the "leaning goal posts" work at the College. Didn't follow through to ensure the contractor did the work properly. And didn't even pursue the recourse for shoddy work.

Anyone--even a clerk--can hire a contractor, especially if they're not going to oversee the work.
So was the bureaucrat worth his/her (presumably) high(er) salary?

And at GVW, professional engineers hire consultants who are professional engineers to plan waterworks.
And look at all the people who are PERENNIALLY involved with Official Community Plans (versions), etc. etc., paperwork, paperwork shuffling from desk to desk.

Get my drift?
Yes, keep firemen and roads workers, garbage and recycling facilities workers, water and reclamation workers, etc. etc.
They provide a SERVICE.
The goal would be far fewer bosses, at CoV, DoC, RDNO, etc.

[typhoon44]

Didn't suggest reduction in services; merely in bureaucrats.
A recent example would be the bureaucrat(s) who approved the contractor that performed the "leaning goal posts" work at the College. Didn't follow through to ensure the contractor did the work properly. And didn't even pursue the recourse for shoddy work.

Anyone--even a clerk--can hire a contractor, especially if they're not going to oversee the work.
So was the bureaucrat worth his/her (presumably) high(er) salary?

And at GVW, professional engineers hire consultants who are professional engineers to plan waterworks.
And look at all the people who are PERENNIALLY involved with Official Community Plans (versions), etc. etc., paperwork, paperwork shuffling from desk to desk.

Get my drift?
Yes, keep firemen and roads workers, garbage and recycling facilities workers, water and reclamation workers, etc. etc.
They provide a SERVICE.
The goal would be far fewer bosses, at CoV, DoC, RDNO, etc.

So nothing?
"get me some white shoes, pants that come up to my chest, and complain about the government full time"

[Sparki55]

That's the nature of services. Everyone is willing to forego services that they don't use. This is exactly the purpose of government - to implement the services that benefit society as a whole, and not one selfish person's needs.

Most working people get a personal 1 - 2% raise each year; anywhere from $0.25 to $1.00.

Why does the city need a 4% raise each year? Are they behind on funding and trying to catch up?

They don't need 4% more, every year, forever.

In the last 3 years, compounding tax rates mean that taxes have gone up by over 15%. If this continues for another 3 years, taxes in Vernon will have gone up by over 30% since 2017 by 2023.

So if your taxes were $2,500 in 2017, your taxes will be over $3,300 in 2023.

There are about 21,000 dwellings in Vernon. Assuming an average tax increase of $650 per dwelling over 6 years in an increase in revenue for the city of $13.7 million. <--- That is a lot of money for a town that typically brings in just $100 million each year in total revenue.

Consider they spent $3.3 million on "parks maintenance" ontop of new park builds. There are 80 parks, that's $41,250 per park per year! That means Vernon could hire 1 employee per 4 parks and still have more than enough money left over for materials to repair/ maintain parks.

[bob vernon]

An increase of 13.7 million over 6 years is peanuts. In a city that collects over $100 million a year, it's only about 2 percent a year. And with the city growing, increases of up to 4 to 5 percent are completely understandable.

Development Cost Charges don't even begin to cover the added costs on the water, sewage, and traffic that expansion brings. A developer has to install the water, sewer, and roads INSIDE his subdivision. If the pipes leading to and from the subdivision, and the roads need another lane, you and I pay for that. And the larger recreation facilities. The DCCs don't come close. Nor do the taxes the new houses pay. Did you notice all the road work and new water lines going in this summer?

If you live in a village with no traffic lights, the annual cost for traffic is tiny. If you live in a town that is growing and needs to add a few traffic lights, and repave roads and upgrade sewer lines...... you pay more. And people want to come here to live. We came here, didn't we? The O'Keefe range lands on the northwest corner of the city can hold a lot of houses. Expect the increases to continue.

[Even Steven]

Didn't suggest reduction in services; merely in bureaucrats..

So, basically you're saying you want no reduction in services, but want them to have less money. So, something for free

Is this realistic? Kinda childish if you ask me.

[nicholas p]

Didn't suggest reduction in services; merely in bureaucrats..

So, basically you're saying you want no reduction in services, but want them to have less money. So, something for free

Is this realistic? Kinda childish if you ask me.

Yes If you ask me the increase in cost is due to poor maintenance or lack of responsibility and lot of unqualified people involved. For example the pole is leaning even though it was redone ,who paid for doing second time & who is responsible for this mistake? Let all responsible people be fired & cost for fixing be charged to the people responsible, hire new qualified & responsible person so that it will be lesson for future employees
Second if business in downtown needs security, they have to hire security personal or install security cameras not city hire security in tax payers money.
Homelessness and drug users are increasing as free amenities are provided at taxpayers expense making them lazy, instead solve the root problem which is to build deaddiction centre ,provide proper medical treatment for sick mentally and physically & provide employment which is permanent solution.
if City want to build new recreation centre let it be with private collabration & charge a fees to people who uses the facility.

[tabubil]

As I have been saying all along it is very simple reduce all union and wage on par with unions by 15% and take all non essential benefits away this includes all elected members of the council. Then have a proper time study group come up and do a complete time study on how the employees work and set up a proper time for work to be complete.
I would suspect if we could see the union contracts which the city nor union want to air we could save a lot of money.
They should also take a look at projects like what they did on 39 ave, were we every asked and what they have planned for 20 street and 48 Ave we we consulted. No this council seems to think they can just spend and raise our taxes.
Do not forget they want to build the cultural centre and a new recreation centre so add that on to the 4.74% tax rate and see what you come up with.
The Federal government and the provincial government and going to be so far in the hole after this pandemic that they will have no choice but to either raise taxes or cut back on handouts to the provincial government and municipal governments.
I just read that our modern update water treatment plant at Duteau creek is going to cost us even more now as we have a broken pipe. We have none nothing but pay for upgrades or repairs on this plant since it was built. It would be interesting to know who signed for the plant on hand over and who did all inspections on it and who talked the city into the fact that it was the most modern plant.

[Sparki55]

An increase of 13.7 million over 6 years is peanuts. In a city that collects over $100 million a year, it's only about 2 percent a year. And with the city growing, increases of up to 4 to 5 percent are completely understandable.

There are other ways to raise 2% per year instead of raising property taxes 4-5% each year.

Development Cost Charges don't even begin to cover the added costs on the water, sewage, and traffic that expansion brings. A developer has to install the water, sewer, and roads INSIDE his subdivision. If the pipes leading to and from the subdivision, and the roads need another lane, you and I pay for that. And the larger recreation facilities. The DCCs don't come close. Nor do the taxes the new houses pay. Did you notice all the road work and new water lines going in this summer?

Stuff is expensive

If you live in a village with no traffic lights, the annual cost for traffic is tiny. If you live in a town that is growing and needs to add a few traffic lights, and repave roads and upgrade sewer lines...... you pay more. And people want to come here to live. We came here, didn't we? The O'Keefe range lands on the northwest corner of the city can hold a lot of houses. Expect the increases to continue.

Stuff is expensive, taxes go up. Got it

[kiabird]

The area's over-governance is about wayyyyy too much government, "supervisor/manager" positions steadily increasing over the years. Yes we need the utility workers, the roads workers, the water workers, the sewer workers, etc.

If property taxes go up 4-5 % and hydro again 4%...and Coronavirus remains a huge issue...there'll be few in the commercial sector who will still be in business.

Small businesses have cut and cut to stay alive during the continued and increasing huge overhead we face annually...I fear many won't be here to do anything in 2021 but lock the door one last time.

[dontrump]

Saw the Castanet story on a 4.47% increase yesterday (I think).
Can't find it today.

Is the Mayor and council even living in the same world as the rest of us?
Business are going bankrupt, many will never reopen due to huge overhead costs (water, property taxes, etc.)

Maybe it's time for this--and other--municipalities/cities to start a permanent reduction in staffing.
Way, way too many bureaucrats in these pandemic times.
And when you think of how many there are in: RDNO, a ten minute drive away from Vernon city hall, Coldstream, five minute drive away from RDNO...over-governance again springs to mind.

Property tax increase? Should be ZERO in 2021!

totally agree every office and more u have named are over staffed and over payed iam surprised the city council have the nerve to have any increase this year at all ;;