Kimberley Daily Bulletin, April 17, 2014

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THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2014

ARTS SUPPORT

PAGEANT PRINCESS

STEPPIN’ UP

MISS TEEN KOOTENAYS

The Steppin’ Out Dancers have donated over $50,000 to the arts in Kimberley.

Cranbrook’s Kyrie Jackson heads to Teen Canada nationals.

See LOCAL NEWS page 3

See LOCAL NEWS page 4

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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 74 | www.dailybulletin.ca

City’s holds open house on Financial Plan Flat tax under discussion

mains and other related infrastructure is $38.9 million. Sewage infrastructure has a useful life of 49 years, of which C AROLYN GR ANT ten years remain. The estimatBulletin Editor ed cost to replace the sewage infrastructure is $18 million, A small but engaged crowd not including a new sewer of taxpayers attended the City treatment plant. of Kimberley’s open house There was general agreeseeking input on the new Fi- ment among those who atnancial Plan. tended the meeting that Mayor and Council were in money had to be raised to attendance as well as the City’s meet these infrastructure deChief Financial Officer, Holly mands, one person in attenRonnquist, who dance going so far took those in atas to say that tax t e n d a n c e “It’s time to look at increases should through the budlarger to do so. shifting the flat tax be But get highlights, should it be and Chief Adto the mill rate, so done through a ministrative Offiflat tax? lower income tax cer Scott SomIt was pointed merville. payers aren’t hurt”” out that the flat tax As reported in was unfair to sinCoun. Kent the Bulletin last gle people, who week, the finanpaid as much as a Goodwin cial plan calls for two or three pera four per cent son household. increase to resiCoun. Kent dential taxes and Goodwin said that three to business and light in- he was opposed to flat taxes. dustrial. Flat taxes remain the He said that Kimberley was CAROLYN GRANT PHOTO City of Kimberley CAO Scott Sommerville and CFO Holly Ronnquist go through the financial plan at Tuesday’s same at$786 for improved res- one of only five municipalities idential lots. The Aquatic Cen- in B.C. with a flat tax and with open house. tre flat tax remains at $150. For the new parcel tax, plus the residential taxpayers this pool tax, plus the original flat works out to an increase of tax, Kimberley has the largest $76.40 per year. flat tax in the province. But it was the plan for an “It’s time to look at shifting increase in utility rates of the flat tax to the mill rate, so $24.15 per quarter to fund in- lower income tax payers aren’t frastructure and fleet replace- hurt” Goodwin said. “I will be “Cabinet removed the require- ment and a future flat tax of lobbying to shift it.” Macdonald, MLA Columbia-River Wildsight, Macdonald ments with an Order in Council in- $107.59 to fund infrastructure Reveltsoke. The flat tax in B.C. came decry change in Macdonald was commenting on stead of changing legislation. It’s be- replacement, that drew the into being in the early 1990s. most discussion. what he calls the continuing facilita- yond me why they continue.” While they offer some protecenvironmental Kimberley, like most every tion to higher valued properThe government has, through the tion of the Jumbo Glacier Resort proassessments for ski hills cess. OIC, changed its environmental as- other Canadian municipality, ties, so that everyone pays the He says the latest event is the pro- sessment regulations to waive the re- faces an aging infrastructure. same price for something like vincial government going ahead with quirement for an environmental as- Ronnquist explained that an aquatic centre, the arguC AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor an Order in Council that removes re- sessment for ski and all-season re- Kimberley’s water assets have ment is that lower valued an average useful life of 48 properties end up paying more quirements for ski resorts to go sorts. years, 12 of which remain. The than their fair share. through an environmental assessSee JUMBO, page 5 estimated cost to replace water See TAX, page 3 “I just don’t get it,” says Norm ment.

The Jumbo story rolls on

Things, e m o S For

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