NEWS
metronews.ca Wednesday, October 30, 2013
03
Region-wide transit fee plan to get another look RUTH DAVENPORT
ruth.davenport@metronews.ca
A proposed region-wide development charge to pay for transit improvements won’t be coming to HRM just yet. Halifax regional council voted Tuesday to send the proposed bylaw to its own Committee of the Whole for further consultation. At issue was the staff recommendation to impose a development charge (DC) on every building permit in the urban and suburban areas, rather than a capital cost charge (CCC) that pays for service improvements in the same area as the development. “The problem with what came forward is that people would be paying it in their area,
Optics
This is “more of a capital cost tax grab versus a contribution where new infrastructure is needed.” Coun. Tim Outhit
and it would be spent potentially nowhere in their area,” said Coun. Tim Outhit after a lengthy debate Tuesday. “It started to look like a tax grab rather than a development charge or growth charge that would help us fund things that we need faster.” The charge was $882 per single-family home and $0.69 per square foot for non-residential buildings. City staffers said the decision to implement a DC arose from the principle that investing in the transit system improves its capacity, which benefits both users and non-users. But Outhit said some HRM residents are already paying for transit that way through general taxes and the transit rate.
Commuters board a bus in Dartmouth on Tuesday. Coun. Tim Outhit says some HRM residents are already paying for transit outside their area through taxes and the transit rate. JEFF HARPER/METRO
“Imagine paying for, when you bought a house, another $800 for transit only to be told, ‘Sorry, you have no transit in your area,’” he said. The head of the Nova Scotia Home Builders Association said
he was pleased with council’s decision to give the proposed bylaw another look. “We don’t want to see more taxes, but at least there’s a semblance here of … direct benefit,” said Paul Pettipas. “If a
homeowner gets a benefit, they should expect to pay. Development will pay its fair share.” Outhit said the debate is expected to come to council’s Committee of the Whole in the next month or so.
Council to join affordable-housing crusade
Mayor Mike Savage JEFF HARPER/METRO
Halifax regional councillors agreed enthusiastically — at the mayor’s urging — to join an effort to address affordable housing and homelessness. Mayor Mike Savage stepped down as chair of council Tuesday to table a motion endorsing HRM’s involvement in a United Way partnership. “This is an issue that affects every citizen in HRM — some
directly, some indirectly, some very directly — that we have to deal with,” Savage told council. Though affordable housing is delivered and administered by the province, Savage said the municipality can be doing more to promote it. “I would simply say that it is folly … to suggest the municipality has no role in housing,” he said.
Some councillors echoed the concern about getting involved in a provincial matter. “I want to make sure that we support this within the mandate and not look for other authorities or power to expand our scope,” said Coun. David Hendsbee. “If you ask me, we have a lot on our plate already.” Several councillors said HRM can promote affordable
housing through land-use policies and incentives for developers, but also said the municipality should get involved because it’s the right thing to do. “I’m tired of hearing ‘It’s not our mandate,’” said Coun. Gloria McCluskey. “Morally, it is our mandate. I think we owe that to the people out there … who are struggling to survive.” RUTH DAVENPORT/METRO
NEWS
Tax philosophy. Better to spread pain around or have people pay for their own area?