Letter to the Editor - Fire Hall financing
It may be of interest to island ratepayers to know of the process of setting and collecting taxes for the funding of large capital projects in B.C.’s fire districts. Also of interest might be an appreciation of the management process when conducting a borrowing referendum for B.C.’s fire districts.
According to a ministry official, setting the amount of taxes to be collected from Gabriola ratepayers is the dominion of the Gabriola Island District Fire Board as long as it conforms to government policy. The applicable policy includes provision to start accumulating before a spending event (or disclosure of it).
The ministry official staunchly defends the practice of collecting ahead of any formal ratepayer concurrence, as to amount and purpose, using the argument that it is easier on ratepayers to pay modest amounts over several years than face having to pay larger amounts over shorter periods. This is the only rationale offered by the ministry in support of their policy. This policy and its interpretation by the specific ministry official in charge of this fire district program means that Gabriola Island ratepayers have already paid $1.6 million towards a new fire hall even though no explicit voter authority existed to support this initiative. When asked if there was a suspension of collection for the new fire hall after last summer’s successful petition, he answered no. When asked if the referendum produced a “no” result if collection of the extra taxes would be suspended or already collected taxes refunded, he said no.
Next is the matter of the management of the referendum. We know that the local board picks the voting date, sets the amount to be borrowed and frames the referendum question. Besides this, a different ministry official firmly states that the ministry will play no part in the management of the referendum process in spite of being asked several times. That in turn means the board also has the unilateral authority to hire the returning officer and that any person or group seeking to act as scrutineers must apply to this person/board.
For your consideration.
Sincerely, Erik Andersen,
Ratepayers Association President