5.59 per cent Coldstream Property Tax Increase is Irresponsible

In what can only be described as a Freudian slip, last week's letter to the editor from a Lumby resident--complaining about Lumby's small tax increase--showed a picture of Coldstream Municipal Hall.  Another letter--titled Taxes out of Control--was from a senior who stated her husband's Canada Pension "big wopping(sic) raise" amounted to 0.4 per cent...or $5.00. 

The second letter complained about the City of Vernon's tax increase which equated to $19.88 a month.

Those two authors are breathing a sigh of relief that they don't reside in Coldstream!

Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick has announced Council has approved a 5.59 per cent tax increase.

Why is Coldstream's increase so high?

"If you look at the loss of income with the glass plant closing and that we are also looking at a pavement management plan, (a tax raise was needed)," said Mayor Garlick.

Proof yet again that these decision-makers aren't businesspeople...

A business owner would have decreased project spending in anticipation that revenue would be lower.

Not so this council and mayor.

And that's the problem...no-one in municipal government thinks like a businessperson any more.

A businessperson simply cannot pass on to customers a projected shortfall in revenue...at least not all in one year.  Business owners make decisions that dictate money must be spent prudently when it is available.  
Or, if immediate savings or revenue gains are possible from, say, borrowing to streamline a production process, then a business owner will proceed

A responsible budget, in my view, would have firstly reduced Coldstream Council's tax increase by the amount of the now-vacated glass plant. 

I suppose Mayor Garlick thinks his is the only community to lose a businesses or, for that matter, to have pavement that needs repair.

On a good day, this council is irresponsible.
But the bad days are still ahead.

"They should spend less on kibbles," suggests Kia.
 Nope, Coldstream simply takes more from your bowl, Kia.
Creative accounting indeed...

And the Amalgamation word pops into mind yet again.