CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON
CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, February 24, 2000, at 11:10 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Coouncillor Gordon Price (Sick Leave)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Tarja Tuominen, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
February 24, 2000

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report:

Cl.1: Heather Civic Marina 2000 Moorage Rates and Other Fees
Cl.2: 2000 Taxation Options: Taxation of Property Classes 05 and 06

Clause 1
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,

THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,

THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 2 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED

(Councillor Louis opposed)

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
- - - - -

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, February 24, 2000, at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No.1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Councillor George Puil, Chair Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass *Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Gordon Price (Sick Leave)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Tarja Tuominen, Meeting Coordinator

*denotes presence for a portion of the meeting

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of February 3, 2000, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Heather Civic Marina 2000 Moorage Rates

and Other Fees File: 1757

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated February 8, 2000, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services sought approval of moorage rates and other fees and charges at the Heather Civic Marina for the year 2000.

The following motion by Cllr. Louis was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT the 2000 moorage rates, other fees and boat lift fees at Heather Civic Marina be increased by 1.5%, reflecting a general inflationary increase. Proposed fees are outlined in Appendix III to the Administrative Report dated February 8, 2000, to be effective April 1, 2000.

B. THAT the proposed rate changes be posted at the Heather Civic Marina.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

(Councillor Clarke not present for the vote)

2. 2000 Taxation Options: Taxation of Property Classes 05 and 06 File: 1551

The Committee had before it a Policy Report, dated February 14, 2000, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services provided information related to the taxation of property classes 05 (Light Industrial) and 06 (Commercial and Other), and offered options for reducing the disparity between the rates at which they are taxed for general purposes.

Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning & Treasury, reviewed the report and explained the rationale for blending of property Class 05 and Class 06 tax rates. If approved, more than 90% of the property tax bill will be based on a blended rate. Mr. Bayne also responded to questions on the distinction between classes 5 and 6; the relationship between residential and all other classes; and the 2000 operating budget process.

The following spoke in support of the proposed blending of the Class 05 and 06 tax rates and offered additional comments:

· Hulda Kischnick
· John Friesen (brief filed)
· Heinz Doerfert (brief filed)
· Marshall Cramer, President, Apparel BC
· Sam Gilmour
· Anna Li
· Mohinder Singh Sandhu
· Richard Anderson, B.O.M.A.
· Bob Langlois, Board of Trade (brief filed)
· James Harrison
· Thomas Bonac

The speakers’ comments are summarized below:

· the blending of the Class 05 and 06 tax rates is a band-aid solution; the “fixed base” municipal tax formula used by the City of Vancouver is obsolete; the City should have a 1:3 tax ratio between residential and non-residential property classes;
· a more balanced way of taxation between residential and commercial properties has to be found to create a more viable business environment in the City of Vancouver;
· Council is requested to consider a one per cent tax shift from business to residential class for the 2000 taxation year;
· taxes should be levelled out between taxation classes; the City should have a flat tax across the board for businesses.

The following motion by Councillor Bass was put and lost:

THAT the estimated $1.0 million in payment-in-lieu of taxes revenue be re-allocated amongst property classes 2 to 6.

- LOST

(Councillors Clarke, Kennedy, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, McCormick,
Puil, Sullivan and the Mayor opposed)

The following motion by the Mayor was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT Council approve the blending of property Class 05 (Light Industrial) and Class 06 (Business & Other) for the purposes of developing general purposes tax rates for 2000, resulting in the same tax rate for each class.

B. THAT Council not extend three year land averaging to Class 05 for 2000.

- CARRIED

(Councillor Louis opposed)

The Committee adjourned at 11:10 a.m.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver