Taxes in the Crowsnest Pass 2015

Well we are almost at the end of the budget process, we did first reading of the mill rate bylaw last night.

The common questions I get asked:

How much are taxes going up?  2%

This will generate an additional $140,000 in tax revenue, which will be off set by a $146,000 drop in the School foundation rate. So unless your assessment went way up, the average resident should see virtually no increase in their over all taxes.

Is the mill rate going down? yes 3.2% our assessment base was up this year with 1% new development and a little over 3% in increased property values so the mill rate had to decease or taxes would have gone up an additional 3%.

What's happening to our utility bills? They are going up $4.98 per month.

What about Franchise Fees? No change.

Is the municipality hiring new staff? We will be hiring one position this fall to replace a person who is anticipated to retire next year. (CUPE position).

Are we putting money into reserves? Yes 2% of our operating budget.

The problem today we still have a deficit of $117,000

Municipal Options?

Increase revenue by that amount.
Decrease spending
Run with a deficit which with provincial approval we could have up to three years to fix.

MORE******

When we sat down with Administration on Monday April 13 to resolve the deficit we came up with the following cuts. The first item the municipality was informed late Friday that almost $20,000 the province as always paid us In Lieu of taxes on the seniors buildings (Westwinds and Tecumesh Manor) were cut in the most recent provincial budget so our deficit actually increased at the start of the meeting.

·      Decrease in Senior’s housing revenue of ($18,904)

·      Reduce administration contingency budget by $50,000

·      Remove budget for by-elections of $4,500

·      Reduce Deputy Fire Chief contracted services by $20,000

·      Increase enforcement services fines revenue by $10,000

·      Budget to receive $50,000 back from the 2014 Hillcrest 100^th anniversary

·      Reduce costs to produce municipal newsletter by $10,000

·      Reduce fire/rescue budget by $5,000

Taxes; what are our neighbors doing?

Town of Pincher Creek approved their budget for 2015 and 2016.

Their tax rates are going up 1.2% in 2015 and 2% in 2016 plus their franchise fees are increasing by 5% both gas and power.

On the Franchise Fee their gas goes from 20 to 25% and their power goes from 8 to 13%. This will bring them in an additional $76,000 a year.

There is no consideration being given to increasing our franchise fees for 2015.

Presently our gas rate is at 25% and our power is at 16%.

Taxes 2015, looking at the numbers

Last Thursday (Oct 16) council and administration began the 2015 budget process, all meeting are open to the public and are being held in the council chambers. (Next meeting Oct 23, @ 2pm topic of discussion will be municipal reserves)

Last week administration reviewed the budget process with council who expressed their desire for a zero (0%) tax increase.  

Is that realistic? I think so. Right now the process as just begun, we do not know what all the issues are and what exactly administration will be presenting to us during the budget process. We certainly have the option of coming back to the public with something other than zero. That is a decision that will be made by the majority of council at the end of budget process. (January 31,2015) 

The following is some interesting Financial Information regarding the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass and will certainly weight on my mind as we move forward through this process.  

Revenue

Net municipal property taxes collected 2007   $5,465,057

http://www.crowsnestpass.com/public/download/documents/5190

Net municipal property taxes for 2014 $6,729,350

http://www.crowsnestpass.com/public/download/documents/7504

Difference of $1,264,293 or 23.1%

Franchise Fee’s 

2007 we did not collect, 2014 we are collecting $700,000

During 2014 we are collecting additional revenue of  $2 million over what the municipality collected in 2007.    

Cost of living (CPI)

Jan 1^st 2007 CPI was 109.4

Sept 1^st 2014 CPI is 125.8

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/price-indexes/cpi/

The CPI has increased by 15% from Jan 1,2007 to Sept 1,2014 our tax revenue alone increased by 23% during that same time frame easily keeping pace with inflation. 

The greatest cost any public sector organization incurs is wages/salaries/benefits, keep in mind the following numbers include all of our staff both unionized and administrative. This is where finding and eliminating inefficiencies is so critical. Neither we or any other organization, public or private sector can keep growing indefinitely.     

Wages/Salaries/Benefits

2007 Wages/Salaries/Benefits  $3,948,805

http://www.crowsnestpass.com/public/download/documents/5190

2014 Wages/Salaries/Benefits  $5,655,650

http://www.crowsnestpass.com/public/download/documents/7504

Difference on wages/salaries/benefits $1,706,845 or 43.2% 

Last night our Chief Finance Officer presented the following report that provides a lot of good information.  http://www.crowsnestpass.com/public/download/documents/8719 

Crowsnest Pass Budget down to the wire.

First reading of the mill rate bylaw was passed on April 1, second and third reading are scheduled for April 15.

Highlights:

Salaries and wages increased by 3% (collective agreement with CUPE effective Jan 1st) additional cost of $164,000.

Municipal Insurance costs increased by $31,000..

MSI operational funding dropped by $60,000

Property tax base dropped by 2.1%

General Municipal Taxation for 2014 will be $6,921,689 versus $6,681,111 for 2013

We will be spending $633,700 on capital, which will include the following:

Two pickups for operations $68,000

Two wheel loaders $375,000

Wastewater Inspection camera $11,700

Renovations Coleman Seniors Centre $19,000

Swimming Pool Conceptual Design $15,000

Albert Stella Memorial Arena Renovations Scope $35,000

Dressing Room Addition Roof Sports Complex $50,000

Server Upgrades and desk computer replacements $60,000

Reserves will be increased this year by $290,500 versus $240,666 in 2013

Franchise Fees will not increase this year.

Utilities will increase by 4.6%

Legal Fees in 2013 were budgeted at $15,000 actual cost was $156,431 budget for 2014 is $140,000.

Ski Hill manager eliminated savings of $61,000 a year also revenue for 2014 was decreased by $58,000, 2013 budget was $252,710 with actual revenue of $187,418.

Peace Officer reduced to one position effective May 1^st, administration informed council that most communities only have one position for a population of 5500.

Ag Services grants decreased by $30,000.

Upgrades to municipal utilities:

$30,000 to the Electrical system

$24,000 on the water system

$58,000 on the wastewater system

$12,000 for garbage collection bins and Eco recycling

Economic Development will bring in revenue of $183,000 from various conditional grants.

Personnel requirements:

2013 budget allowed for 54 full time positions, 3319 hours of overtime, and 45,214 hours of casual employment.

2014 budget allows for 54.75 full time positions, 2858 hours of overtime, and 37,650 hours of casual employment.

Note: The town rounder position was counted in the casual hours last year, it is now a full time position, overtime hours have decreased by 461 hours and casual hours are reduced by 5499 hours after allowing for the town rounder hours from last year.

Debt:

The municipality will assume debt of $1,672,500 to construct a new Clarifier at the Frank wastewater plant subject to approval of $3,327,500 in grant funding from the province.  

The municipality will assume debt of $343,000 to upgrade the Sentinel Water Treatment plant, administration as proposed that this debt, will be financed by the owners of the properties in the Sentinel area under a Local Improvement program (Property owners will get to vote on this).

The payment on the $1,672,500 over 10 years would be $190,200 per year.

2014 we will pay $480,000 on debt payments, and roughly the same amount next year which will almost clear up all existing debt.   

Keep in mind the mill rate can be amended by a majority vote of council on either second or third reading. 

Well deserved Kudo's to the CAO, the administration staff we do have, and the hourly employee's who put a lot of effort into getting this budget in place. 

Personally I would have liked to have dug a lot deeper into this budget and the various areas that drive the numbers but unfortunately not having a finance officer in place since November and no Public Works Director for almost the same time frame made things very difficult.  

I do believe that the 2015 budget process will be much more efficient than what we just went through.  

Some items to think about before you vote.

• The new Image, we are in the process of spending in excess of $300,000 to put in place the new brand, logo, banners etc.

• The hidden “tax” Franchise Fees have increased from $295,000 in 2010 to almost $700,000 in 2013

• Crowsnest Centre the Mayor announces in his Mayor’s Corner Oct 17,2012 “The new Hotel, Restaurant truck stop complex is a go!”

• June 25,2013 Council is informed that Medican has backed out of the hotel deal

• July 23,2013 Council votes to pay $50,000 to purchase Best Western name for Group Vachon.

• Sept 2013, Workplace Assessment Report  “"While many express that this relationship has, historically, not been "perfect", the theme is that, currently, the relationship is the "worst it has ever been". “The majority of employees indicated they are experiencing significantly high levels of stress in this workplace. Longer term employees stated "morale is lower than they can remember".

• We now have the largest and most expensive administration in our history the Russell Farmer report recommends “The municipality continues to rationalize its operations looking for opportunities to create greater efficiencies and effectiveness not only in operations but in administration as well”

• Russell Farmer identifies crucial areas of concern “High rate of turn over in management particularly the CAO, and the impact of the high rate of turn over on the municipality’s ability to provide effective and efficient service” In the last three years we have had three CAO’s plus seven other changes in various administrative positions the most in any term of council since 1979.

• Russell Farmer crucial area of concern “Communication within the organization and with residents which has resulted in a lack of trust in the community and in the organization”.

• Russell Farmer High Tax Rate; “Crowsnest Pass’s mill rate has increased by 8.3 percent in the past two years which is a significant increase in the mill rate”

• March 6,2012 Thunder in the Valley is deferred for one year

• October 2012, Fire Chief terminated, large numbers of volunteers leave the Fire Department   

• Budget 2013 Council after a significant miscalculation on the assessment base eliminates the $100,000 commitment to the York Creek Lodge to balance the municipal budget. 

Franchise Fees-The hidden tax

I was just sent a link to another candidates blog to look at the "facts" I do not expect that any other candidate will be providing links to my site. Regardless here are some "facts" if somebody wishes to tell me I am wrong I will change my numbers once I am provided the evidence.  

Franchise Fees

2010-$295,551

2011-$374,288       Increase of $79,000

2012-$569,749       Increase of $196,000

2013-$682,000       Increase of $112,000 

Total three year increase $387,000 keep in mind that every $67,000 raised is equivalent to a 1% tax increase so the full increase would have taken an additional 5.8% tax increase over the three years to match. 

This charge appears on your gas and power bill which is why most people do not even notice it. That is why it is often referred to as the "hidden tax". The municipality back in the fall of 2012 attempted to argue that this is "not a tax" what do you think? 

Let's also not forget that administration had originally proposed to increase this "tax" by another $225,000, which would have taken it to almost $1 million a year do you think that recommendation won't come back? 

The hidden tax-“Franchise Fees”

Most residents in most municipalities do not even know about the hidden tax known as “Franchise Fees” in fact some municipalities even go to the ridiculous extreme of trying to claim it is not a tax. The quote below was copied from one of these municipalities. Thanks to an awareness created within our municipality over the last two years, the residents of the Crowsnest Pass are not fooled by this sly trick. This “Fee” as become an alternate revenue source used by politicians to create an illusion that taxes are not being raised by a significant amount when in reality they are just taking the money out of your left pocket instead of our right one.

"Are franchise fees a tax? No. Franchise fees are simply the cost utility and cable providers incur for being allowed to place their facilities in the public's right-of-way. Franchise fees are considered a cost of doing business. Franchise fees are an important component of a diversified revenue stream for municipalities."

In 2010 the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass collected $295,551 in Franchise fees this number jumped to $374,288 in 2011, $569,749 in 2012 and was originally budgeted to go to $906,694 in 2013 until the huge out cry by the public. Which led to council having a change of heart and only increasing it to $682,000 for 2013.

2011 increased by $79,000

2012 increased by $196,000

2013 increased by $112,000

2010-2013 increased by $387,000

That is correct in total the “Franchise Fee” increased by $387,000 over those three years a whooping 130 % if these same dollars had been generated by increasing taxes, it would have required additional tax increases of 1.25% in 2011, 2.9% in 2012 and 1.75% in 2013.

Without the public out cry previously mentioned the Franchise Fee would have risen by another $225,000 in 2013 the equivalent of another 3.5% tax increase.

It would be very interesting to hear what position candidates for the upcoming election will take  on Franchise Fees, would they agree that they have gone up more than enough in the last three years? and commit to not increasing them for the next four years?    


Note: Cost of administration $4325 per day

Spoon fed the truth for Christmass….. Hallelujah

Available on Brian Gallant’s blog in response to Peter Rosners comments it looks like we are getting spoon fed the “truth” for Christmas. Available at the following address:

http://briangallant.ca/wordpress/2012/12/11/municipal-inspection/

I would like to address Councillor Gallants comments, first impression for anybody that did not know better would be that everything is good in our little community:

1. He addresses the volunteer boards issue, looking from the outside I would have the impression that everything with volunteer boards is good. Did it not take six months of advertising to fill all the boards and committee’s if they are indeed filled. Question for my readers does anybody think council would have backed down on the Pool authority prior to the petition, the authority had two letters from administration telling them they were done. Did council not know? Is this one of those cases of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing?
2. He appears to place all the blame on the firemen because they walked out. What did he and the rest of council expect? What would happen at the mine if a Union President was fired on the spot. No suspension pending investigation, no external review by an independent agency.   
3. Peace Officers have given almost no tickets for bylaw infractions (10 in the past six months) despite hundreds of complaints. That would lead me to believe that the community has been cleaned up? Very good. They have given a number of tickets to non-residents, so are our Peace Officers treating residents different to non-residents? I can speed on 20^th avenue but not my friend from Sparwood can’t.. This will work well for community branding “Crowsnest Pass Alberta’s best kept secret home of a little piece of paradise and the non-resident speed trap”.   
4. He speaks to Peter’s comments on the Municipal Inspection, still does not get it 2500 taxpayers are not happy, with the exception of the hundreds upon hundreds that were bullied and intimidated to sign.
5. He addresses the “bureaucratic monster” has no substance. So it’s just a figment of everybody’s imagination at this point in time we really don’t have a CAO, Director of Finance and Corporate services, Director of Planning Engineering and Public Works, Director of Community Services and Protective Services, Manager of public works, Fire chief, Deputy Fire Chief, plus advertising for a Manager of Corporate Services. This is not a “bureaucratic monster” but then has councilor Mitchell very proudly stated a year ago, “The public should keep in mind that we now only have three Directors when we used to have four”.
6. Tax increases no increase in 2011 and only 2.5% in 2012, yes Councilor Gallant puts all the blame for tax increases on the Provincial government and the seniors. Check out the mill rate bylaws in 2010 the Municipality collected $6,432,821 from the municipal taxpayers in that year. 2011 with no increase the municipality collected $123,000 more in general taxation than the previous year (0% increase maybe it was all those new houses going up, or our increased home values). In 2012 with just a 2.5% increase the municipality collected another $265,000 in additional general taxation (2.5% increase once again maybe it was all those new houses going up, or our increased home values). Lots of new homes and greatly increased property values I’m sure most home owners that are deciding to sell are doing well. Then lets not forget the additional tax increase (more commonly known as the Franchise Fee). Some will even attempt to argue that this is not a tax, 2010 it sat at $295,000 increased to $570,000 in 2012 and would have gone to $907,000 in 2013 had it not been for the uproar from the public. Instead, it will only jump to $682,000 next year being Christmas I guess we should be thankful that this little tax only jumped 231% in three years instead of the proposed 308%.
7. Thinking about the Tax increases and the Franchise Fees I guess us Taxpayers should be thankful again, that the municipality as decided over the last two years to take less money out of our left pocket and more out of our right pocket.
8. And now I will present the opportunity for anybody to comment on my points or to list for us all the good things that have been achieved.
9. Being the Christmas season every time I drive by the Blairmore shop I get to say hoe, hoe hoe.       

They just don’t get it……… or are they?

Now both Councilors that blog have spoken plus the Mayor’s press release from last week, it appears to me that they and the rest of council are not getting the message about the petition. (See links below)

They are all welcoming Municipal Affairs, they all have nothing to hide, and the people have been misled or intimidated. I have this vision in my mind of the Mayor and Council waving their arms and telling the Minister to “bring it on”.

Personally, I do not and I think most people would agree expect Municipal Affairs to send somebody in here that is going to find massive incidents of fraud or other criminal activity.

We all know that we have had petitions in the Crowsnest Pass before; they failed for one reason or another. From the research, I have done other communities that have been involved in petitions some succeeded some failed. I cannot find one other community where such a high percentage of the population signed a petition so fast. In less than twenty days, every second voter in this community signed the petition.

Does that not say something? The message Council and administration should be getting, is that the taxpayers are not happy. Rome was not built in a day and yes people will accept “change” it always a matter of how much and how fast.

Some people say to me that this Council due to some of their member’s arrogance, naivety, or just plain state of denial will never get the taxpayers message. We should not lose sight of the fact that since the petition was presented to Municipal Affairs, the municipality has changed course on a number of issues, removing the Swimming Pool Authority, The Quint Ladder truck, Franchise Fees. What is next? May be we will all be seduced with the ultimate in vote buying a smaller tax increase.   

Weather they are getting the message or not one thing they will not be able to beat is time. All politicians find out that the same people that put them in power can remove them just has fast. Come October 22, 2013 people will analysis the results, some people will be very happy and some will claim the voters were misled, intimidated or any other excuse that makes the speaker feel better.    

http://emilesaindon.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/its-been-awhile-2/#comments

http://briangallant.ca/wordpress/2012/11/03/the-other-side-of-the-petition/

A victory for the taxpayers of the Crowsnest Pass, standing up and making a difference.

Finally 2500 names on a petition, taxpayers standing up all over the Crowsnest Pass is making a difference. 

One of the most controversial methods of picking the tax payers pockets next year was going to be a $336,000 increase to the amount of Franchise Fees that we the residents of the Crowsnest Pass have no choice to pay unless you can live without Gas or Power. Even when the Municipality presented their “Fact Sheet” at an approximate cost of $10,000 in the local media back in November, they had the Franchise Fees rising from 20% to 35% for gas and from 14% to 20% for power. This on top of the fact that the revenue being generated by these Franchise Fees had already jumped from $295,000 in 2010 to $570,000 in 2012, the further increases would have taken that number to $907,000 next year.

To my shock the “Facts” have changed up on opening the local paper last night, I see that the Municipality is now advertising the Franchise Fees are only increasing from 20% to 25% for gas and from 14% to 16% for power. This means instead of the Franchise Fee Revenue jumping from $295,000 in 2010 to $907,000 in 2013 it will only jump to $682,000 next year an increase of  231% in three years instead of the 308% previously proposed. I know we should not be dancing in the streets over this but it is a partial victory in that $225,000 less will be taken out of our pockets next year.

On top of that at last week’s G+P meeting the CAO clarified that there will be, has the Mayor stated in his last newsletter a $500,000 savings in the Fire Departments. This savings will come about by them not taking that money and purchasing the much-discussed Quint Ladder Truck. Now I know some people may look at this skeptically and think games are being played with numbers here, somebody said to me yesterday so if I propose to buy a $150,000 Hummer that I don’t need then I come to my senses and back off on buying it did I really save $150,000?

Two things here first of all Council/administration are going to look heroes here with the 2012 budget, $250,000 not spent on the Quint this year, $600,000 not spent on demolishing the Crowsnest Centre and all the savings they have incurred by not filling various positions in a timely fashion. (We will talk about this more in a future post)

Second, do I think this would have happened without the petition without people finally speaking up? Not a chance.

You would almost think Municipal  Affairs was coming in to do an investigation!  

     

A community divided, the real fix is eleven months away.

My fellow blogger Mr Prince is calling for a town hall meeting, the people that signed the petition are waiting for municipal affairs.

I think this municipality at this point in its short history is deeply divided, unfortunately it is not going to be repaired in the next eleven months. Any one of us can wish for a different out come but realistically it is not coming in the short term. The petition and municipal affairs will run its cause and hopefully something will come of that, if not then people need to be preparing for October 21^st 2013 that will be the communities next real opportunity for “change”.

Why do I feel it’s too late for real change with this council, the issues that have been put in front of the taxpayers over the last two years have been too numerous and two divisive.

Can a town hall meeting fix these issues? I don’t think so, most of the people I speak to could care less about a town hall meeting they have seen them become a platform for our leader to pump his chest, berate anybody that disagrees with him. I was so shocked when I watched a highly educated seventy year old man walk across a room to the sound of a few boos, waving his arms and telling the people to bring it on. (Leadership?)

I sat down last Friday and listened to a veteran administrator tell a reporter the way it is. (Yes it was as bad has it sounds). Communications has not been this council’s downfall in all honesty they have probably done a better job of communicating than any previous council, the problem is not so much communications it is what they have said and done. 

This Council believes in building a Bureaucracy by the time they have restructured they will have gone through more administrators in eighteen months than any other council in our history and have more upper management in place then we have ever seen before. Mean while we have a demoralized workforce that is scared and bullied to the point where a large percentage of them are in fear of their jobs.

This community has no commercial tax base, if we only did what we could pay for three quarters of what happens in this community would not happen. The key for this community is volunteers I came to learn this lesson over the last ten years, are there any volunteers left? Sure there are but not many, with what happened with Thunder in the Valley/Rum Runner Days and the Firemen situation who’s going to step forward. Want more proof of that look at municipal boards despite three months of advertising nine boards are short of members. Why do you think council backpedaled on getting rid of the Swimming Pool Authority two weeks ago? They desperately need to reverse the perception in the public forum as to how volunteers are being treated. What we did not  need is a member of council slamming the public because they didn’t support their way of doing things on the Rum Runner days weekend maybe just maybe the silent majority did not want it to change.  

The public has spoken about how they feel, despite the fact that 2500 people signed a petition in less than three weeks (more than double what is legally required). This council and its members can only focus on the “silent majority still supports us”, “or people were bullied and intimidated into signing”. Tell those people to contact municipal affairs I am sure the powers to be would love an excuse not to deal with this petition. Does it not say that the public has a problem with where you are going?

Look at our tax situation we hear great fanfare about a three year budget that only had annual increases of 2.5%, I didn’t hear anybody from council or administration tell us that Franchise Fees were going to increase more than 300% in three years.

Will the books balance at the end of the year? Of course they will I could spend hours writing about how numbers are shuffled. For example  take a look at Manager of Corporate Services, that position was only filled for three months this year. The other nine months of monies set aside for that position will be used to make the numbers work. My concern is the million dollars a year of administration moving forward how do we pay for that in future years when all the positions are filled year round?

Financial credibility is there any out there, after waiting for three and a half months look at the numbers that were presented for Rum Runner Days, remember the talk about $150-$200,000 not even close.   

Community Peace Officers all those that think these positions are going to pay for themselves raise your hand now. That’s a fallacy that will be proven over time, I can remember the consultant telling council at a G+P meeting that there were 290+ locations in violation of the unsightly premises bylaw how many of them have been cleaned up? Is there a date that they will be cleaned up by? So what happens with the bylaw officers once they are cleaned up?

Promises even though they were followed with a “you can take this with a grain of salt”

CLC gone before first snowfall, sharing Ranchlands tax base, Quebec manufacturer, deal with the hotel developer done in two weeks, two more, thirty days, heavy industry with up to 700 jobs. Politically you can sell hope all you want but sooner than later it has to be realized or you lose creditability.    

I think we have reached the point where the majority (be they loud or silent) do not pay a whole lot of attention anymore to what this council has to say or do. Most people are counting down the time until Oct 21,2013. Will a town hall meeting change that?   

Franchise Fees-The Facts it's not even a tax!

Copied from the Municipal web site:

"Are franchise fees a tax? No. Franchise fees are simply the cost utility and cable providers incur for being allowed to place their facilities in the public's right-of-way. Franchise fees are considered a cost of doing business. Franchise fees are an important component of a diversified revenue stream for municipalities."

Let's debate the definition of a tax? A cost of doing business which has several councillors stated during the debate on this issue gets passed on to the taxpayers. Tax? 


On the next page it goes on to say:


Municipal Fact:

"Since 2008 the Municipality has increased the Franchise Fees received from ATCO and Fortis from $271,037 to $569,749 to generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases and as well to establish reserve funds".

To generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases. So it is a tax? What would taxes have gone up this year and next without the Franchise Fee? approximately an additional 3% in 2012 and 5% in 2013. 
2008 shows $250,000 for Franchise Fees I can't see the $271,037 anywhere on the table?

Municipal Fact: (Heading shorten by blogger for room purposes)

 

Summary of Revenues	Tax Levy		Utility Levies		Franchise Fees	Total Revenue		Annual $ Increase		Annual % increase
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421		$2,508,231		$906,694	$10,366,346		$181,409		1.78%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376		$2,422,867		$906,694	$10.184.937		$442,584		4.34%
2012	$6,820,152		$2,352,452		$569,749	$ 9,742,353		$516,675		5.30%
2011	$6,555,990		$2,295,400		$374,288	$ 9,225,678		$335,197		3.77%
2010	$6,432,821		$2,162,109		$295,551	$ 8,890,481		$260,138		3.01%
2009	$6,360,015		$1,974,031		$296,297	$ 8,630,343		$167,667		1.98%
2008	$6,277,689		$1,934,987		$250,000	$ 8,462,676		$878,296		11.58%

Communications and Numbers

The municipality as put out a new information titled Public Information Communication in response to the flyer in this weeks papers from the ratepayers: Which is available at the following address.

http://www.town.crowsnestpass.ab.ca/


In response to some of the numbers being thrown around I would provide the following:

 General Municipal Taxes

Rate Payers Interpretation:

TAXES have increased “$387, 331 per year.”

Municipal Fact:

Municipal Tax Levies: Year	Tax Levy (NET of *ASFF, CNP Senior Housing Requisitions)	Increase from prior year	% increase from prior year
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421	$ 96,045	1.4%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376	$ 35,224	0.52%
2012	$6,820,152	$264,162	4.0%
2011	$6,555,990	$123,169	1.91%
2010	$6,432,821	$ 72,806	1.14%
2009	$6,360,015	$ 82,326	1.31%
2008	$6,277,689	$802,535	14.65%

Note: In 2010 we paid $6,432,821 in 2012 we will pay $6,820,152 a difference of $387,331, we are now paying in 2012 $387,331 more per year (2012) than we did in 2010.

Utility Bills

   

Utility Rate Summary 2007-2014:
Water		Waste Water		Solid Waste		Recycling		Total		Annual $ increase		Annual % increase
Budget 2014	$1,055,060		$714,777		$640,818		$97,576		$2,508,231		$85,365		3.50%
Budget 2013	$1,008,135		$676,338		$640,818		$97,576		$2,422,867		$70,415		2.90%
Budget 2012	$963,757		$650,301		$640,818		$97,576		$2,352,452		$57,052		2.90%
2011	$937,684		$637,299		$622,841		$97,576		$2,295,400		$133,291		6.16%
2010	$853,273		$590,585		$621,071		$97,180		$2,162,109		$188,078		9.50%
2009	$744,163		$567,529		$565,140		$97,199		$1,974,031		$39,044		2.01%
2008	$742,073		$537,322		$560,209		$95,383		$1,934,987		$75,761		4.0 7%

Note: By the municipalities numbers the cost of utilities will jump $190,343 in 2012 versus 2010.
The utility number presented here for 2012 is also $33,000 lower than a previous number provided  by the municipality.

Municipal Fact: - Since 2008 the Municipality has increased the Franchise Fees received from ATCO and Fortis from $271,037 to $569,749 to generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases and as well to establish reserve funds. This is not a fact nowhere on their chart do I see the number $271,037 under Franchise Fees.

Note: The Franchise Fees were $250,000 in 2008 and went to $569,749 in 2012 with a proposed increase to $906,694 in 2013.

Taxes, Utilities and Franchise Fees:

Rate Payers Interpretation:

“Taxes, Utilities and Franchise Fees come to a total of $900,029 per year more. That will transfer $1,400,000 more a year from the Taxpayers pockets to the Municipality versus 2010”.

Municipal Fact:

 

Summary of Revenues Generated from Tax Levy, Utilities and Franchise Fees: Year	Tax Levy (NET of *ASFF, CNP Senior Housing Requisitions)		Utility Levies		Franchise Fees	Total Revenue		Annual $ Increase		Annual % increase
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421		$2,508,231		$906,694	$10,366,346		$181,409		1.78%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376		$2,422,867		$906,694	$10.184.937		$442,584		4.34%
2012	$6,820,152		$2,352,452		$569,749	$ 9,742,353		$516,675		5.30%
2011	$6,555,990		$2,295,400		$374,288	$ 9,225,678		$335,197		3.77%
2010	$6,432,821		$2,162,109		$295,551	$ 8,890,481		$260,138		3.01%
2009	$6,360,015		$1,974,031		$296,297	$ 8,630,343		$167,667		1.98%
2008	$6,277,689		$1,934,987		$250,000	$ 8,462,676		$878,296		11.58%

Note:2010 Total Revenue $8,890,481 2013 Total Revenue $10,184,937 a difference of  $1,294,456 that will go from the taxpayers pockets to the municipality. (This number does not include the $33,000 in addition  utility costs shown previously)

Municipal Staffing

Rate Payers Interpretation:

“At the date of the last election there were 19 employees in the Municipal Office (Administrators and Staff) Today that number is 25. “

Municipal Fact:

- Wages for Hourly positions are driven by the negotiations of the Union Collective Agreement while Management wages are set based on surveys assembled and distributed to municipalities by AAMDC (Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties) and AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association).

- In 2011 a new Corporate structure was established that added one new position to administration. Currently the Municipality’s administrative structure includes a CAO, three Directors and three Managers overseeing the areas of Finance and Corporate Services, Planning, Engineering and Operations and Protective and Community Services. Currently two of the three manager positions are vacant while recruiting for suitable applicants takes place.

Positions:	# of Positions on October 2010	# of Positions on October 2012
Administrative Positions	6	7
Municipal Inside (office) Union Positions	10	13
Total Positions in Municipal Office	16	20
Municipal Outside Union Positions	33	37
Total Municipal Administration, Inside (office) and Outside Union Positions	49	57
Non Union Positions:
Library	4	3
Pool Seasonal (May-August)	17 (May-August)	16 (May –August)
Ski Hill (November-April)	42 (39 November-April) (3 Full Time)	42 (39 November-April)

Note: The ratepayers argued that there was a difference of 6 employees between 2010 and 2012 the municipality now shows an actual staff difference of 8. I wonder in the municipal numbers if they are including positions that have been moved from the office to other locations now placed in the outside (Building Inspector, Commumity Peace Officer/Bylaw). In addition there is a position in the office that as been vacant for at least two months is that being factored in.

Note:Ratepayers Flyer comes out on Tuesday/Wednesday by Friday Municipality realises all kinds of numbers, a lot of this information was requested by the ratepayers back in early August they were not provided until October 9th. 

What's even more amazing is seeing all of these numbers put together virtually over night yet the numbers for one short weekend event in July can not be put together in three months.