Today's Langley Advance published a letter by Dan Sheel. Dan is a switched on Township resident, parks & recreation volunteer and sports coach for many years. He is also a Surrey Fire Fighter. Dan Sheel asks the question that all Township residents should be asking. What is Mayor Green's plan to produce zero percent tax increases over the next 3 years and not bankrupt the TOL?
Dan rightly points out that the full facts of the Township finances have been known and public for some time. Despite being aware of these facts, Green promised a zero-zero-zero tax increase pedge over the next 3 years and said that he would repeal the 5% increase slated for 2009. Mayor Green was in the Town Hall directly after the election and has therefore been working fulltime for a month and a half. So what's the plan? It is only fair to TOL taxpayers that we know the full plan that Mayor Green intends to enter into budget talks with and we need to know up front so that he can't put the blame on any members of council. Over the past month we have seen considerable back-peddling by Mayor Green and he uses the art of maintaining a level of deniability to sneak away and attempt to lay blame on others.
You can demand that Mayor Green release his budget and tax plans to the public by emailing Mayor Green and council at mayorandcouncil@tol.bc.ca . Emailing both will ensure that the mayor is held accountable and your message will be seen by all. Request that the mayor reveal to all TOL residents his budget and tax plans for 2009-2011 now so that we have time to review them BEFORE the budget meetings. At the very least he should have an action plan ready for 2009.
The news behind the news. Exploring the political issues, debates and voting records in the Township of Langley and sometimes beyond.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
You Can Talk the Talk or You Can Walk the Walk
For the past little bit we Township folks have heard much hot air from politicians that are purporting to have extensive business experience and credentials. This same minority then try to use this so-called experience and credentials to sell their "watchdog" approach to civic politics and the fiscal accountability line. Our Editorial Board is full of successful men and women. We all agree that most academics that we have come into contact with in the business world have lots of theories and book knowledge, but couldn't manage a small summer lemonade stand if their lives depended on it. This is why most young people these days begin their "education" the day they start their first real job. It is also why Bill Gates decided to drop out and do something with his mind and skills sooner rather than later. Not a good testament to educators eh? It is not something we recommend, but with the state of academics today, one has to wonder.
It is very easy to claim things during an election locally, as no one has the time or money to check. But after the election if the candidate is successful, you can look at their voting records, what they say and what they do as a signal of whether their expertise is a fantasy of their minds. One of the most fascinating bit of business advice this editor received many years ago was a simple statement. "How you do anything is how you do everything". What you do and how you do it impacts everything you do. I you constantly cry wolf in business or politics, people will soon tune you out. If you pander to those vocal elements in the community you will soon get shunned by the mainstream. If you propose fool-hearty motions you will soon be ignored by your colleagues and enjoy very little respect among them.
If you profess to be pillar of financial accountability and watchdog-ism, then how you do anything is how you do everything, right? Well, examine these expense reports from various TOL council members. Not that it would explain such a high amount, but how many on this list have full-time jobs and how many actually attend many meetings because they are retired and can? If you have a fulltime job, wouldn't you be expected to spend less taxpayer dollars? Wouldn't you at least be expected to spend less than that of a fulltime mayor?
You be the judge. But just remember this wise saying... How you do anything is how you do everything. Don't by fooled by politicians masquerading as watchdogs.
2006
Mel Kositsky $11,386
Kim Richter $9,001
Grant Ward $6,388
Bob Long $5,786
Steve Ferguson $5,119
Kurt Alberts $3,577
Howie Vickberg $818
Jordan Bateman $240
Charlie Fox $0
2007
Bob Long $8,007
Grant Ward $7,615
Kim Richter $6,641
Mel Kositsky $6,547
Steve Ferguson $4,936
Kurt Alberts $2,419
Jordan Bateman $1,137
Howie Vickberg $562
Charlie Fox $238
It is very easy to claim things during an election locally, as no one has the time or money to check. But after the election if the candidate is successful, you can look at their voting records, what they say and what they do as a signal of whether their expertise is a fantasy of their minds. One of the most fascinating bit of business advice this editor received many years ago was a simple statement. "How you do anything is how you do everything". What you do and how you do it impacts everything you do. I you constantly cry wolf in business or politics, people will soon tune you out. If you pander to those vocal elements in the community you will soon get shunned by the mainstream. If you propose fool-hearty motions you will soon be ignored by your colleagues and enjoy very little respect among them.
If you profess to be pillar of financial accountability and watchdog-ism, then how you do anything is how you do everything, right? Well, examine these expense reports from various TOL council members. Not that it would explain such a high amount, but how many on this list have full-time jobs and how many actually attend many meetings because they are retired and can? If you have a fulltime job, wouldn't you be expected to spend less taxpayer dollars? Wouldn't you at least be expected to spend less than that of a fulltime mayor?
You be the judge. But just remember this wise saying... How you do anything is how you do everything. Don't by fooled by politicians masquerading as watchdogs.
2006
Mel Kositsky $11,386
Kim Richter $9,001
Grant Ward $6,388
Bob Long $5,786
Steve Ferguson $5,119
Kurt Alberts $3,577
Howie Vickberg $818
Jordan Bateman $240
Charlie Fox $0
2007
Bob Long $8,007
Grant Ward $7,615
Kim Richter $6,641
Mel Kositsky $6,547
Steve Ferguson $4,936
Kurt Alberts $2,419
Jordan Bateman $1,137
Howie Vickberg $562
Charlie Fox $238
Monday, December 22, 2008
Taxes and Downloading
Today's The Province newspaper carries an an editorial on property tax increases mainly in Vancouver. Vancouver says the 6-13% tax hikes over the next year are due to an expected drop in revenues as the economy declines, annual wage increases for city workers, 96 new police officers and 22 civilian staff for the VPD as well.
The article also mentions the downloading of costs from the provincial and federal orders down to municipal governments. Township Councillor Mel Kositsky often reminds us that only 8% or 8 cents of every federal tax dollar makes its way to municipalities.
In the Township we are not getting 96 new police officers, but police, fire and public safety in general account for about 48% of our TOL budget. If you add in wage increases required by collective bargaining agreements, salaries account for somewhere in the neighbourhood of 87% of the TOL budget. This means that apart from wages and benefits, the Towsnhip is actually pretty lean and we are not the big spenders that a very small number of people would like us to believe.
The Towsnhip was slated to have a 5% increase in property taxes. The value of many homes in the TOL have been impacted downward by the economic meltdown. In fact, the Provincial government recently announced that they will use the 2007 BC Assessment values for collection of property taxes in 2008.
Mayor Green has stated several times that he would scrap the Township's approved plan to increase taxes by 5%. Latest discussions center around cuts in programs and increases in user fees. But aren't increases in user fees much the same as the tax increase? You might say that increases in user fees collect the cash from the people using various services, but aren't these Towsnhip services to be enjoyed by all? Many of us have no children in school yet we help pay for them. It's a slippery slope if you want to divide services and the dedicated responsibility to pay for them.
Now that Mayor Green has had over a month to examine the budget and receive consultation from senior staff it will be interesting to see where the TOL budget process goes in 2009. While none of us like paying more taxes, a 5% increase based on the amount and quality of what we receive is reasonable in our opinion. Perhaps Mayor Green will see the wisdom in this conservative proposal.
The article also mentions the downloading of costs from the provincial and federal orders down to municipal governments. Township Councillor Mel Kositsky often reminds us that only 8% or 8 cents of every federal tax dollar makes its way to municipalities.
In the Township we are not getting 96 new police officers, but police, fire and public safety in general account for about 48% of our TOL budget. If you add in wage increases required by collective bargaining agreements, salaries account for somewhere in the neighbourhood of 87% of the TOL budget. This means that apart from wages and benefits, the Towsnhip is actually pretty lean and we are not the big spenders that a very small number of people would like us to believe.
The Towsnhip was slated to have a 5% increase in property taxes. The value of many homes in the TOL have been impacted downward by the economic meltdown. In fact, the Provincial government recently announced that they will use the 2007 BC Assessment values for collection of property taxes in 2008.
Mayor Green has stated several times that he would scrap the Township's approved plan to increase taxes by 5%. Latest discussions center around cuts in programs and increases in user fees. But aren't increases in user fees much the same as the tax increase? You might say that increases in user fees collect the cash from the people using various services, but aren't these Towsnhip services to be enjoyed by all? Many of us have no children in school yet we help pay for them. It's a slippery slope if you want to divide services and the dedicated responsibility to pay for them.
Now that Mayor Green has had over a month to examine the budget and receive consultation from senior staff it will be interesting to see where the TOL budget process goes in 2009. While none of us like paying more taxes, a 5% increase based on the amount and quality of what we receive is reasonable in our opinion. Perhaps Mayor Green will see the wisdom in this conservative proposal.
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