Coming Up: March 6
Council meets on Monday. In addition to a regular Council meeting, there is a Committee of the Whole meeting. On the agendas this week:
Downtown Business Taxes
Large Scale Tourism Grants
Municipal Police Service
Following is more information and my take on agenda items.
As always, any mistakes or opinions belong to me and me alone, not to Council or City staff.
While I express my current views below, I work hard to go into meetings ready to listen and with an open mind. I learn new information and participate in debate. This always informs, and sometimes changes, how I vote on issues.
If you would like to watch the meeting or read any of its supporting material for yourself, you can do so by clicking here. The City will post the highlights of Council’s decisions here.
Delegations
At all Council meetings, organisations and residents are welcome to come talk to Council.
This week, we have multiple delegations speaking to Council’s potential decision to transition a Municipal Police Service. They include:
The National Police Federation which is the union representing RCMP members
The Commanding Officer of K Division
The Peace Country Progressive Alliance
A private resident who has significant policing experience
downtown business association budget
The Down Town Business Association is a non-profit association operated by the Down Town business community. It exists to support and promote the City Centre. Its budget is funded by a special tax levied on commercial properties within the Down Town Business Improvement Area (BIA).
The Association’s budget is created by its Board of Directors, which is elected by members. This budget is then approved by membership at an AGM. However, since Council is responsible for the BIA taxes that fund this budget, Council also has to approve the budget. It is being presented to Council on Monday.
The proposed budget for 2023 is $302,507.. This budget has remained the same for several years. That is despite inflation, the province deciding to no longer pay its property taxes towards the BIA, and increased needs. The Association has done a good job of managing its budget. I’m likely to vote in favour of approving it.
Every time we discuss the BIA, there are some in the community who suggest it is unfair or unreasonable to have a special tax on downtown businesses. However, in response, I’d highlight that if Council doesn’t pass the BIA Tax, it only has two other options:
Overrule the decisions made by downtown business by refusing to fund the Downtown Association. This would effectively mean Council is saying to businesses “sorry, we know what is best for your operations” while undermining their efforts to be viable and profitable.
Fund the Downtown Association through the City’s general revenue. This means that property tax owners throughout the City would be footing the bill for activities that they get no say in and no direct benefit from. Residents would be directly funding the Downtown Association. And businesses across the City would be paying for the marketing activities of their competitors in the City Centre.
Neither of these is a good alternative. The BIA Tax should be passed.
It’s also worth highlighting:
This tax isn’t new. It’s an annual tax that started in 1984 at the request of downtown businesses.
The tax amount is set by a Board elected by downtown businesses and is then approved at a meeting open to all downtown businesses. I usually attend this meeting, and never hear a single objection to the budget.
I haven’t had a single business reach out to me and request that this tax not be levied.
Because of our current economy and this year’s downtown construction, the promotional and advocacy activities of the Downtown Association are more important than ever.
Provincial properties traditionally pay ~$60,000 into the BIA tax. However, the province has recently decide to no longer pay property taxes, which is a big hit to downtown. The Association is making up for this by reducing its budget, not by increasing what member businesses pay.
Large scale tourism event funding
The City has a Large Scale Tourism Event grant stream. It is meant to support events which draw 2000 or more people and which have at least 35% of attendees come from 100km or further away.
There is $200,000 in funding for these grants. Council has already allocated $50,000 to the 2024 Alberta Winter Games.
It is recommended that Council also grant $75,000 to the Bear Creek Folk Festival and $50,000 to the 2023 GrandeCon event. I’m likely so support these recommendations. Both events draw money and people into our community while providing great experiences for our residents.
If Council directs these grants, there will be $25,000 left in Large Scale Tourism funding. A Council Committee directed that another round of applications be opened for interested events to apply. One potential event is the Alberta Special Olympics.
municipal police service
Council will be debating a potential to transition to a Municipal Police Service.
This is a BIG, complicated topic that we’ve been working on for several years. I’m sure I’m in for a sleepless night as I toss and turn over it. I have written in depth about what is being discussed and my current thinking on it at www.bressey.ca/municipalpolice
That’s what is on our agenda this week. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
You can comment below. Or, you can contact me at dbressey@cityofgp.com or 780-402-4166. I'm happy to talk online or over the phone. I'm also always willing to setup a time to meet for coffee.
We also always have great conversation in the GP Round Table group on Facebook.
After Council meeting, you will be able to find highlights posted by the City here.
Thanks for reading!
-Dylan