Council still pumped over gas tax increase
City councillors appeared to be spiting the premier at Monday evening's council meeting, resolving to go ahead with a request to see a territorial tax be imposed on fuel sales.
City councillors appeared to be spiting the premier at Monday evening's council meeting, resolving to go ahead with a request to see a territorial tax be imposed on fuel sales.
Coun. Florence Roberts appeared miffed at Premier Dennis Fentie's staunch refusal to entertain the possibility of a one cent per litre fuel tax, with proceeds going to help Yukon communities fund road infrastructure and transit projects.
"I would like to speak in favour of this resolution going forward to the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC), even after the premier has said an unequivocal no to this position," Roberts said, reading from a prepared statement.
Indeed, council agreed to support a resolution to the AYC, which would then petition the Yukon government to impose a tax on fuel sales, though after some internal debate.
"I agree with the proposition in principle, but I wouldn't vote for this as it stands," said Coun. Doug Graham. "We still don't have a long-term strategy for transit.
"We already get money from the federal government and YTG that, if you ask me, we haven't used well," he said.
Coun. Jan Stick supported the resolution, saying she believed a discussion among all Yukon communities needs to occur to better understand the parameters of the issue.
Before that conversation could occur, Fentie told the Star last Tuesday he would not entertain heightening the fuel tax.
"The government will not raise the gas tax," he said.
"The government leader has closed his mind to new ideas and that's unfortunate," said Coun. Dave Stockdale. "I think it's important to look forward, and see if other communities have ideas."
"Our roads, like most municipalities across Canada, are deteriorating and getting harder to repair and replace," said Roberts.
She is the councillor who raised the resolution idea in council, and who cited other Canadian jurisdictions that have seen heightened fuel taxes contribute to improving roadways and transit service, like Montreal and Vancouver.
"It is not inconceivable that this could be done here," she said.
In passing the resolution, city council will pen a resolution to the AYC.
The annual general meeting of the AYC is set to take place April 24-27 in Haines Junction.
Comments (8)
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victor kohaia on Mar 10, 2008 at 8:33 am
The City gets enough money, stop complaining and trying to grab more and more through taxing your residents. Come on, didnt' the government just increase the grants they give to the cities? You increased my taxes. My user fees at the rink went up. Do something more progressive. Think out of the box and stop asking for government hand outs.
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Joel on Mar 3, 2008 at 8:34 am
I have to agree with Doug here. All taxes are increasing in Whitehorse and I am not really seeing anything to show for it. This may be an image problem, or it may be a council problem, I am not sure at this point. Here is what I do see so far...
Taxes keep going up, services keep staying the same. The growing city argument doesn't fly with me. If there are more people living here, there is more of a tax base to draw from. I really wish someone would post something new about this council and their ability to reasonably spend our tax dollars, but I haven't been able to find anyone.
On the plus side, they should have some extra funds left after a light snow winter where they don't seem to be plowing the residential streets (or is this a cut back?). Maybe that could be used to drop the taxes a bit!
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Doug Rutherford on Feb 27, 2008 at 6:34 am
I'm probably just confused here, but since council has raised property taxes by 32.5% over the last four years and proposing to increase taxes by 4% over the each of the next two years, why do they also want a cut from an increase in gas taxes?
It seems to me that the present city council is not capable of fiscal management and it is time for an election.
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Jen on Feb 27, 2008 at 4:07 am
This tax already happens. It is called the Gas Tax, and through the Gas Tax funds, municipalities and First Nations are already eligible, and receiving, funding for infrastructure improvements or development. The Harper gov't just yesterday in the budget committed to continuing this fund.
While this "extra gas tax" that is being proposed by Council may find support in some jurisdictions down south, I suspect they pay less for gas, and enjoy far more extensive transportation networks.
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John on Feb 27, 2008 at 2:32 am
Who is Florence Roberts speaking for? I know it's not me as a taxpayer.
No, I don't want to pay more at the gas pumps so this council can blow my money on more studies or recovering from the defecit of the games.
More frequent bus service? Please...they need to run the service when people use it, like at nights or weekends, before thinking about running it more frequently. Otherwise it'll just be more frequently I see empty buses.
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LW on Feb 26, 2008 at 4:20 pm
"Coun. Florence Roberts appeared miffed at Premier Dennis Fentie's staunch refusal to entertain the possibility of a one cent per litre fuel tax, with proceeds going to help Yukon communities fund road infrastructure and transit projects. "
Oh you mean those brand new $450K buses that I see empty every single day driving around and idling at Tim Hortons.
Whitehorse needs a recall election. This council has 0 solutions, and just money grabs.
Florence Roberts should be MIFFED at our current roads in town. What will it take, hitting a child in a school zone, because of lack of snow removal? Please do Whitehorse a favor and retire.
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Dennis Guthrie on Feb 26, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Another example of just how out of touch with reality these city councillors really are. They are elected to represent the people, and I am quite confident that the people who elected them do not want to pay higher gas taxes. I really hope that Premier Fentie sticks to his guns and refuses to even consider this. Next election remember just who is looking after your interests.
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Mike Peltier on Feb 26, 2008 at 11:46 am
A penny more per liter is no big deal. It won't change anyone's habits. They'll still continue to drive fuel guzzling vehicles and leave them idling in the parking lot while they're shopping for another cart load of cheap imported stuff they don't need. If Council wants people to change their wasteful habits then make it a ten cent tax and use the money generated to make public transit effective and free.