Courtenay has passed its annual financial plan and tax rate bylaw 鈥� but not without a Custer鈥檚 last stand by Mayor Larry Jangula and Councillor Manno Theos.
The two voted against every motion Monday night to implement the plan over concerns about hiring 12 additional city hall staff.
Here鈥檚 the bottom line for Courtenay property owners:
* The tax increase for an average residential property, valued at $311,200 (216 value from BC Statistics) is estimated to increase by 1.58 per cent, or $19.20 for the municipal taxation portion of the tax notice. This is equivalent to $1.60 per month or $0.05 per day.
* The same average property inclusive of all user fees (water, sewer and garbage) and tax rates collected for other entities (BC Hospital District, Regional District, BC Assessment, Library, School) and net of the home owner grant, results in a property tax increase of $155.81 or $12.98 monthly or $0.43 per day.
* The property tax increase for an average commercial property, valued at $732,911 is estimated to also see an increase of 1.58 per cent, or $122.92 for the municipal portion of the tax notice. This is equivalent to $10.24 per month or $0.34 per day.
But the major 鈥� if not the only 鈥� bone of contention is a controversial plan to hire 12 more city hall staffers.
Counc. Doug Hillian defended the action.
鈥淚 think that our staff have taken a lot of unnecessary flak over this,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 believe what they鈥檙e doing is in the best interest of the long range development of this city.鈥�
He said much of the correspondence he has received indicates 鈥渉ow we have complex matters where people think there may be simple solutions.鈥�
Hillian said he didn鈥檛 want to minimize residents鈥� concerns, but said the average citizen doesn鈥檛 have the time to weigh all the complex information.
鈥淭hat is why they elect a council,鈥� he said.
Hillian said he received a letter from a former municipal official with experience in Vancouver and Mississauga commending Courtenay CAO Dave Allen and his staff for undertaking an asset management plan, 鈥渟omething most municipalities fail to do well.鈥�
What seems to be really sticking in people鈥檚 craw, though, is spending $90,000 a year for a 鈥済ardener鈥� position.
That salary is set under the city鈥檚 union collective agreement, and includes a huge whack of benefits. Plus the person filling that job has to have horticultural certification. It鈥檚 not just 鈥渂asically tending the flowers.鈥�
Mayor Larry Jangula asked, though, if that was 鈥渁 realistic salary in the community.鈥�
鈥淚 do not question the asset management part. But it鈥檚 pretty hard to go to the taxpayer and say it鈥檚 all asset management,鈥� he said.
Counc. Manno Theos said yes, city growth has been and is currently strong. But there have been stronger periods of population growth when staff wasn鈥檛 increased.
Counc. Hillian said city hall staff鈥檚 job is to run the city, and 鈥渢hey鈥檙e telling us they can鈥檛 run it with the current staff they have.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why they鈥檙e asking for these positions 鈥� to better and more effectively manage. I think that鈥檚 really what the issue is. It does involve a little bit of pain. We live in a world where the cost of things goes up,鈥� he said.
Hillian said the complexities of managing the city and related infrastructure don鈥檛 go away.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have the opportunity in 18 months to be tested 鈥� and let the chips fall where they may,鈥� Hillian said, referring to the next municipal election in 2018.
Mayor Jangula said many Courtenay residents are on fixed incomes, and they can鈥檛 afford to keep paying more and more.
鈥淲e鈥檙e actually gambling on the real estate market and I just think that鈥檚 risky,鈥� he said, referring to the increases in property assessments and developments that will fund the new staff positions.
