Amid discussions about where 91原创 City could look at reducing its expenditures, a group of residents and business owners were able to see their tax dollars at work, when a medical emergency arose inside council chambers during Monday night鈥檚 meeting.As a man 鈥� speaking before third reading was given on the City鈥檚 2011 budget 鈥� was taking council to task over its proposed 2.99 per cent tax increase, he collapsed at the microphone.Five minutes after City staff called 911, a four-person team of firefighters arrived to help him, followed another five minutes later by an ambulance with two paramedics. The man, who lay on the floor unconscious for several minutes, was alert and joking with paramedics as they wheeled him out of council chambers on a gurney.Police and firefighter services are among the largest cost drivers (behind municipal wages) that the City faces on a year to year basis. And it鈥檚 one area that two-year 91原创 City resident Katherine Vea noticed on her tax bill. When she moved to the City from the Township, she told council, she was immediately struck by the cost of police and fire service in the City 鈥� rates that amounted to roughly twice as much as she鈥檇 paid in the Township on a property of greater value.It was a point Mayor Peter Fassbender addressed during a budget open house held earlier in the month at 91原创 Community Music School.鈥淎ll municipalities struggle with the first responder agreement that鈥檚 been put into place,鈥� he said. However, ambulance service in B.C. is inadequate, Fassbender told the crowd of about 20 people who attended the Feb. 9 meeting. That鈥檚 particularly true, he said, in a community with a large population of senior citizens, such as the City.鈥淲hen you or someone you know is in distress, you want someone there,鈥� he said. And often, he said, firefighters can be on scene well before paramedics arrive. The cost of what one resident described as 鈥淐adillac鈥� service is the consequence of that, he said.During her comments on Monday, Vea also told council that although she was not a City resident when the casino was built, much of the talk among her neighbours indicated they鈥檇 been promised that if the casino was allowed, there would be no tax increases.鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember council of that day ever saying taxes would not increase because of the casino,鈥� replied Fassbender.鈥淐ouncil of the day said it would be used to ensure there would be an increase (to pay) for capital projects and no borrowing for future capital projects.鈥滾ater in the meeting, Councillor Gayle Martin, who was on council when the casino was built, addressed the issue once again.鈥淭he comment we hear over and over about casino proceeds is that they should be used to relieve the tax burden.鈥淲e鈥檙e not getting the message out that we would have to charge another three per cent.鈥�(Casino proceeds) do, in fact, reduce taxes and save money,鈥� she said.鈥淚f we had to borrow $6 million (the amount the City receives annually from casino proceeds) we鈥檇 be looking at three per cent to cover the carrying charges on the loan.鈥滽evin Granger Brown, who owns commercial property in the City, spoke on behalf of the Association Against Higher Property Taxes, saying he represents a small, but 鈥渋rate鈥� group.鈥淚鈥檝e spoken to hundreds of residents and business owners and with 99.9 per cent, the sentiment is outrage,鈥� he said.Although his taxes have risen 100 per cent in the past 10 years, he has not passed that along to his tenants as rent increases, he said, because they wouldn鈥檛 be able to handle it.鈥淭hey鈥檙e having a tough time making ends meet.鈥淐anadians鈥� debt level is untenable, but you guys seem to think more taxation is acceptable.鈥漅ather than raise taxes to meet projected expenses, Granger Brown said, the City should be working within the funds they currently have.鈥淭here should be a zero per cent increase.鈥滻n his own brief address, the man who fell ill told council they 鈥渃annot keep raising taxes four per cent, year after year. 鈥淵ou end up in a compounding situation,鈥� he said.Before he retired, the man said, he鈥檇 managed a $25 million manufacturing facility. 鈥淲hen revenue didn鈥檛 meet expenditures, we cut our costs by any means necessary 鈥� including cutting staff,鈥� he said.As he has done in previous years, Councillor Dave Hall made several attempts to amend the budget in an effort to reduce the tax increase, however each of his four motions died with no seconder.鈥淚t could be higher, it could be worse,鈥� said Councillor Jack Arnold. 鈥淚t could be lower, too. If it was my private business, it would be.鈥滲ut when seven council members have to make the decisions, there is always some compromise, he added before voting in favour of the budget.The budget passed thired reading with only Hall opposed.
