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THURSDAY, April 5, 2012
Proudly serving Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin since 1930
VOL. 82. No. 27
Chiefs lobby BC Lions roar with lakecity youth in Ottawa against mine Monica Lamb-Yorski Tribune Staff Writer Tsilhqot’in National Government chair and Tl’etinqox Chief Joe Alphonse and other First Nations leaders are in Ottawa lobbying against Taseko Mines Ltd. and its proposed New Prosperity Mine. “We just finished meeting with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada,” Alphonse told the Tribune Wednesday. “This project has gone through an assessment already and been rejected. The process should be tightened up and made tougher for the company to reapply,” Alphonse said, adding the TNG is prepared to go back to court to protect its interests.
$1.34 inc. HST
Greg Sabatino photo
Sean McGarva, BC Lions community co-ordinator, speaks to a group of elementary students at Mountview Elementary School Tuesday about being environmentally responsible. The program, called Fortis BC Energy Champions, also visits Glendale elementary this morning.
Inside the Tribune NEWS City taps into social media.
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SPORTS A8 B.C. Lions come back to lakecity. COMMUNITY A15 Cariboo Festival marks 55 years. Weather outlook: Mix of sun/ cloud/chance of flurries today, high of 6 C. Mix of sun/cloud Friday, high of 9 C.
City to see three per cent tax revenue hike Monica Lamb-Yorski Tribune Staff Writer It looks like Williams Lake taxpayers can expect a three per cent general tax increase in 2012. At Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, council gave the first three readings to its five-year-financial plan, which would see a three per cent increase each year from 2012 to 2016 — each year the budget and taxes are decided, however, so it doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a three per cent increase in 20132016. The next debate will be around how the tax ratio will be allocated. In the public budget meeting held before the council meeting, council voted to investigate an industrial tax shift to other property classes.
Coun. Ivan Bonnell asked what the mythical average would be determined with the tax shift, but heard the the city wouldn’t know that until it determines the actual percentage of the tax shift. In seconding the motion to make the shift Cook stated said the city has to begin to make changes. “Because we have the second highest industrial tax rate in the province, it doesn’t help us. The question isn’t whether industry is paying its fair share, the question should be where are we going to be in 10 or 20 years,” Cook said, adding if changes aren’t made now, the city could be in more of a situation down the road. Even if it’s a small shift, the mayor said she thinks it will be symbolic. The three per cent general tax increase is a reduction from the origi-
nal 2010 five-year-financial plan that called for a five per cent increase each year, reminded Cook. “It’s not easy to come up with these decisions, but we’re trying to balance the future needs and the current needs of the community. Tough decisions had to be made,” Cook said. Councillors Surinderpal Rathor and Ivan Bonnell voted against the five-year-financial plan. Both councillors have voiced a wish throughout the budget process that they didn’t want to see any increase. While he said he appreciated staff for working hard to make reductions to the budget, Rathor added he has not heard from one resident that increasing taxes is the way to go. “We should have cut back more.
Everything is going up — hydro, natural gas, and insurance premiums,” Rathor said. Rathor suggested that the other members of council had gone into the process determined to see a three per cent tax increase, but Coun. Geoff Bourdon replied that Rathor was the only one who entered the process saying he would accept no tax increase. See BUDGET Page A2
Easter ad deadlines Due to the Good Friday holiday tomorrow, the Tribune’s advertising deadline will be at 5 p.m. today (Thursday) for the Tuesday, April 10 issue.