Coldstream Council doesn't get it. B.C. Assessment does.

The 2010 property assessment notice arrived this week.

For the first time in recent memory, assessments have gone down.  Highlands' assessment saw a considerable decrease.  The Morning Star reports Coldstream's assessment roll declined from $2.18 billion last year to $2.13 billion in 2010.

Kudos to the British Columbia Assessment Authority.  They get it! 

They recognize that 10 to 15 per cent increases to property values, year after year, simply can not continue in any economy, let alone the present downturn.

So we'll save one-quarter of last year's tax bill?
Nope.
Why?

Because Coldstream Council doesn't get it!

In a complete dismissal of findings contained in the B.C. Municipality Spending Watch, Mayor Garlick and Council are drafting a budget that will likely include a five per cent tax increase this Spring.

They appear hell bent for leather on surreptitiously replacing the lost taxes from the Owens-Illinois (glass plant) in Lavington, closed last year.  Rather than cutting taxes for those of us who still reside here, this Council wants us to make up the difference...as though OI hadn't left.   

But what of all the NEW money that's been flowing in from the Federal Government's Economic Action plan.  A portion went to Coldstream to build roads and bridges.  Money also comes back to Coldstream from the Gas Tax Fund, as well as the Building Canada fund that includes water and sewer upgrades (the new Duteau Creek water treatment plant will be operational this year).

Local librarians got a 4 per cent increase...and Coldstream hired a CA (yup, a chartered accountant for a community with half of its land in the Agricultural Land Reserve and a population of 10 thousand, and who--by the way--advised Council that the Commercial Recreation category has been taxed too low...ahem!).

Then there's the North Okanagan Regional District (which is also part of the tax base) added on to their offices again (the second time in five years...how often do you renovate?).

At least Paramedics got a 3 per cent raise.


Wait a minute.
Paramedics received a smaller increase than Librarians?

"Can paramedics treat idiocy?", asks Kia.











4 governments, 1 taxpayer...