Photo by Whitehorse Star
Mayor Bev. Buckway
City ponders range of new fees, increases
The city's finance department has presented new fees and charges to city council it feels should be included in the 2012 operating budget.
The city's finance department has presented new fees and charges to city council it feels should be included in the 2012 operating budget.
"Ideas were brought forward by various municipal department managers, who were asked to review the fees and charges that pertain to them and bring forward any new fees,” said Valerie Anderson, the manager of financial services.
Council was presented with 124 new or amended fees, in areas ranging from parking enforcement to cemeteries and parks and recreation.
The suggested higher fees would amount to about $121,000 for the city, said Anderson.
The recommended fee hikes are based on what financial planners deem reasonable, as well as comparisons with other jurisdictions.
Prices are determined after the associated costs are averaged with how often the fee or service is issued.
One new fee, for instance, would be the addition of animal trap rental costs. In previous years, the city has offered the service for free. Officials now propose charging $25 to rent a trap.
"Animal traps are a good example of how the numbers are determined,” said Anderson
"We have to look at what an acceptable fee would amount to. They (the traps) don't take long to drop off, maybe 20 minutes, but when they are returned bent and broken and have to be replaced, they cost money,” she said.
New fees would include accessible and temporary parking permits now issued at $25 each, and a new $75 fee for fire safety review plans.
New permits for vehicles for hire will climb to $75 from $25.
Other new fees include liquor licence inspection charges at $100 each, a $250 high hazard fireworks display permit for public events.
In solid waste disposal, fee increases would be introduced for the disposal of e-waste, ranging from $5 to $40, depending on the item.
Because rates are compared with other jurisdictions, fees have not all risen, either.
For example, the fire department recently went to B.C. and found that a current practice of billing owners $500 for serious fire damages to their property was inappropriate for the community and not in line with practices used by other municipalities.
The city will do away with the fee at a cost of $36,000 to the city, said Anderson.
Despite the additional fees, increases for 2012 are consistent with those in other years, said Anderson.
Council will likely approve the new fees, Mayor Bev. Buckway has said.
"The new fees are something we review on an ongoing basis,” said Buckway.
"But council have reviewed all the items presented and are in agreement that they should come forward.
"We always look to other jurisdictions for a comparison, and based on that, council have no problems with what is being presented with the new fees and charges.”
The new costs are being reviewed, and council's decision will be made at an upcoming meeting.
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Comments (6)
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Max Mack on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:46 am
Forgot to mention the e-disposal fee . . . people will simply start throwing their e-waste into the bush on the side of the road.
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north of 60 on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:09 am
It won't be the first time this council has issued counterproductive fee increases. Ever since they implemented a 'tipping fee' for domestic waste, the amount of garbage and old appliances dumped in the bush has increased.
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Francias Pillman on Nov 10, 2011 at 7:24 am
I've been saying this for years and buckway just proved it with her comment about other jurisdictions. Who cares how much another city charges for services? Worry about US. It's funny queen bev doesn't mention those cities she is so eager to compare actually have services that work. What a terrible excuse for a mayor we have.
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Max Mack on Nov 10, 2011 at 4:51 am
Charging a fee for animal trap "rentals" is counter-productive.
Most of the time, these traps are used as a cost-effective technique to capture nuisance animals (like cats) that cannot be caught using other techniques.
Introduction of this fee may actually result in an increased demand for bylaw personnel. Residents may simply stop requesting traps and ask, instead, for bylaw to physically apprehend the animal.
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Brice Carruthers on Nov 9, 2011 at 11:32 am
Whitehorse is an expensive place to live. One of the things that compensated for that was our low tax and fee regimes. Now we will be putting further pressure on lower and middle class families by raising fees. When folks all across the world are tightening their belts, and making the necessary sacrifices to live within their means, does it not behove the City to do the same? For the last 10 plus years, the City has gone back to the taxpayer time and time again to balance its books on the backs of working families, while making little effort to curb spending or even re-examine its finances. The definition of insanity is to do the same things over and over again and hope for a different result. The City needs to change direction from its current tax and spend philosophy to a more sound approach of responsible fiscal management.
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Ditch the Hairdresser on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:30 am
Funny we hear about all the increases coming down the jewel encrusted gold pipe from city hall... but nothing of what perks/special interest group handouts...new bling for the city that SHOULD be ditched
Why do I see two operators in an automated garbage truck...why does the CoW give a red cent to sima?
Why did CoW GIVE Sima a truck...OUR truck?
Does Sima pay taxes?
Did the CoW bill itself 500.00 for EITHER fires at the money pit on the hill.
Many governments whom are inept have fallen with a non confidence vote, surely we can FORCE this ahem..."mayor" and 75% of council freakin' OUTSKI with such a motion.
Perhaps we the people should look into this, if there is no provisions for such a motion...we should change that.
Spending our cash like a bunch of drunken sailors for many many things we need NOT...AND putting the screws to us with every city transaction with scads of YEARLY fee increases...property tax increases...services that very often.."strive for mediocre"
fellow Whitehorse folk...we really need to STOP this madness coming out of that hall of fools.
Snip snip, use those old scissors to TRIM your spending...or face the wrath of really pissed off folks.
Non confidence vote...getter' done or it will be a very brutal and expensive few years with this crew running the gravy train.
end post.