Thanks, but no, thanks.

That is the City of 91原创鈥檚 response to a request for a joint study between it and Township into the feasibility of amalgamation.

The 91原创 Reunification Association is currently circulating a petition to have a comprehensive study done on the costs and benefits of reunifying the two 91原创s, which split in 1955.

However, the City officially turned down the request at its Monday meeting, saying there have already been plenty of studies done across Canada, all pointing to the same thing 鈥� when it comes to amalgamation, most often the bad outweighs the good.

It鈥檚 been 56 years since the 91原创s parted ways, but the issue of amalgamation has lingered, said City Mayor Peter Fassbender, noting it seems to rear its head every three years.

There are a few reasons for that, he added 鈥� one being something as simple as a name adding emotional fuel to the fire.

Had one 91原创 or the other changed its name in 1955, he believes it wouldn鈥檛 be as big an issue.

Neither history nor geography 鈥� the City is surrounded on three sides by the Township 鈥� have any bearing on City council鈥檚 decision. Nor does the current political climate in the Township affect its stance, Fassbender said.

鈥淚鈥檝e said we don鈥檛 see the need (for a 91原创-specific report), because a number of studies have already been done.鈥�

The mayor pointed to case studies of the Abbotsford-Matsqui merger, as well as those of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

He said it makes no financial sense to commission yet another study 鈥� which he estimates would cost at least $30,000 to $40,000.

Only the presentation of a business case showing that reunification would benefit City taxpayers would convince council to reconsider, he said.

And based on what they鈥檝e seen, he said, that doesn鈥檛 appear likely.

鈥淐ost reductions are a myth 鈥� they have not been realized (in other amalgamated communities).鈥�

The suggestion that the City鈥檚 council and managers want to protect their jobs is 鈥渉ogwash,鈥� said Fassbender.

Despite the fact the largest cost driver in the City鈥檚 annual budget is salaries, the financial savings of having only one council and set of senior staff would be 鈥渁 drop in the bucket,鈥� he added.

The argument for amalgamation often includes the streamlining of services such as water, sewer, trash removal, transit and transportation infrastructure. Those services are already amalgamated through Metro Vancouver and TransLink, Fassbender noted.

The 91原创s pay for two separate fire departments, but share a police force and a school district.

Recognizing City residents use recreation services in the Township, including Blair Pool, McLeod Athletic Park and the George Preston Centre, the municipality has contributed to all three facilities.

And then there is the matter of the balance sheet. Since last year, the City has been debt free, thanks in large part to its share of proceeds from Cascades Casino, which feeds City coffers at a rate of roughly $6.5 million a year.

According to its 2010 financial statement, the Township was $57.4 million in debt at the end of last year 鈥� a debt City taxpayers are unlikely to want to take on, said Fassbender.

Using two residential properties with the same assessed value, the City contends its representative taxpayer pays $300 more per year than his Township counterpart, but pays $150 less for utilities, for a net increase of $150.

In return, Fassbender said, they receive Cadillac service levels in terms of snow clearing, street cleaning and prompt response to complaints.

Access to municipal politicians is another benefit he sees.

鈥淢y door is always open and I often answer my own phone. That鈥檚 a huge issue for a lot of people.鈥�

鈥淎 sense of community ... we have that going in spades and I don鈥檛 want to see us risk that.鈥�

For its part, the 91原创 Reunification Association finds the City鈥檚 motion a bit 鈥減re-emptive and presumptuous,鈥� said spokesperson Rian Martin.

鈥淲e鈥檙e surprised and amused the City of 91原创 is formally declining a suggestion that has not been made to them.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檙e running scared here. We certainly feel it is an over-reaction,鈥� Martin added, saying the petition question is not a request for amalgamation.

The petition being presented to City residents reads as follows: 鈥淲e the undersigned, residents of the City of 91原创, respectfully request the council of the City of 91原创 to engage with the council of the Township of 91原创 in an independent study of the feasibility of reunification.鈥�

This is simply a citizens鈥� initiative, said Martin, adding the petition is 鈥済oing gangbusters.鈥�

Martin said the response so far has been better than the group had anticipated but declined to give the number of signatures they鈥檝e collected so far.

Regardless of the City鈥檚 motion, he said, the group will carry on with plans to present its petition to both councils when the time comes.

The City of 91原创 has posted its report online at www.city.langley.bc.ca. More on the 91原创 Reunification Association can be found at onelangley.ca.