Agenda Index City of Vancouver

7

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS

MAY 2, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, May 2, 2002, at 9:40 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:

*Councillor George Puil, Chair
Mayor Philip Owen, Acting Chair (portion of Item 4)
Councillor Fred Bass
*Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Vice-Chair (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Daniel Lee (Leave of Absence)

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Denise Salmon, 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 April 11, 2002, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. City of Vancouver Year 2001 Financial Statements (File 1503)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 23, 2002, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services/Director of Finance presented to Council the 2001 Financial Statements for information and to fulfill the legislative requirements of the Vancouver Charter.

Estelle Lo, General Manager of Corporate Services, provided an overview of the report and introduced Bob Shaw of KPMG who commented on the results of the audit. Staff responded to questions related to returns on the Property Endowment Fund and expenses related to deferred payroll costs.

MOVED by Councillor McCormick
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Council receive for information the City of Vancouver Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2001.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Don Lee absent for the vote.)

2. 2002 Property Tax Options: Property Tax Distribution (File 1551)

The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated April 15, 2002, in which the General Manager of Corporate Services/Director of Finance presented the issue of shifting the distribution of the property tax levy between the non-residential and residential property classes for Council's consideration.

Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, was present and responded to questions related to impacts of the shift on residential and commercial properties.

Richard Mahler, Executive Vice-President, and Brock Ryan, Local Government Budgets & Finance Task Force, Vancouver Board of Trade, with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, addressed the inequities that exist between residential and business property taxation, and suggested this creates an unfavourable environment for business. Messrs. Mahler and Ryan spoke in support of the 1% shift.

Stuart Swain, President, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and General Manager of Pacific Centre, spoke in support of the 1% shift and provided details of the effect of this shift on shopping centre tenants.

Richard Anderson, President-Elect, BOMA BC, spoke in support of the 1% shift, and recommended Council consider making the shift on an annual basis until a fair ratio is achieved.

Council discussion followed on the short and long-term impacts of the shift on the business climate, and the impacts to residential property owners, given the general overall tax increase to 4% this year.

MOVED by Councillor Price
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Council approve a shift in the property tax distribution equal to approximately 1% of the 2002 general purposes tax levy (approximately $3.9 million), applied proportionately from Class 2 (utilities), Class 4 (major industrial), Class 5 (light industrial) and Class 6 (business/other) to Class 1 (residential) properties.

LOST
(Councillors Bass, Louis, Puil and the Mayor opposed.)
(Councillor Don Lee absent for the vote.)

3. Reconsideration of 2002 Cultural Grant Recommendations (File 2051)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 15, 2002, in which the Director, Office of Cultural Affairs, reported the results of the staff reconsideration of two Cultural grant applications, as requested by grant applicants and made recommendations based on the outcome of this process. The General Manager of Community Services presented the recommendations for Council's consideration.

Lorenz von Fersen, Cultural Planner, was present to respond to questions.

Donna Spencer, Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance, provided a brief history of the Theatre Alliance, and requested Council reconsider their request for a grant, even if a lower amount, to show support for the group. Ms. Spencer noted G.V.P.T.A. is the only service organization that responds specifically to the needs of Vancouver's professional theatre community.

Alice Niwinski, Cultural Planner, provided comment on previous activities of the G.V.P.T.A.
MOVED by the Mayor
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT Council not approve a Project Grant to the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance (#39) in accordance with the Director of Cultural Affairs' original recommendation.

B. THAT Council not approve a Project Grant to Shameless Hussy Production Society ( #78), in accordance with the Director of Cultural Affairs' original recommendation.

CARRIED
(Councillors Bass and Louis opposed to A.)
(Councillor Louis opposed to B.)

- - - - -

During discussion of the following item the Chair left the meeting on Civic Business and the Mayor assumed the Chair.

- - - - -

4. Reconsideration of Community Services Grants Applications (File 2151)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 18, 2002, in which the Director of Social Planning provided results of the reconsideration process which was initiated by seven Community Services Grants applicants, and made recommendations based on the outcome of this process. The General Manager of Community Services presented the recommendations for Council's consideration.

Rick Gates, Social Planner, provided an overview of the report and responded to questions related to the City's ability to fund new organizations.

Michael Maxwell, Leave Out ViolencE (LOVE), (material filed), provided examples of the work done by the group and asked for reconsideration of their grant request on the basis the financial situation of LOVE has not been properly assessed . Mr. Maxwell, introduced Terri Long, who shared details of her involvement in LOVE.

Luningning Alcuitas-Imperial, Vice Chairperson Philippine Women Centre of BC, noted she was accompanied by a delegation of ten members present in the audience, and provided background on work done by the organization. Ms. Alcuitas-Imperial expressed dissatisfaction with the City's grant process and requested reconsideration of their grant request. Staff noted a number of the services and supports provided by PWC are also delivered by other local organizations.

Char LaFontaine, Outreach Worker, PACE Society, requested Council reconsider their grant request, and noted all criteria requirements have been met. Ms. LaFontaine provided background on the group's history and details of the services and opportunities PACE provides for sex trade workers.

John Fuerst, President, KidSafe Project Society, accompanied by Carole White, provided background on services provided by the Society and the importance of a grant to enable them to diversify and stabilise their funding.

Collin Mercer, Interim Executive Director, Vancouver Multicultural Society, provided background on the Society's activities, displayed an Urban Cultures Pamphlet which they now produce, and requested Council reconsider the Society's grant request.

MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Council approve a grant of $27,000 to Women Against Violence Against Women, with the following condition:

The source of funds is the allocation from the Community Services Grants budget, originally recommended but not approved, for this organization.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

- - - - -

CITY OF VANCOUVER

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

MAY 2, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, May 2, 2002, at 12:31 p.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 Don Lee
Councillor Tim Louis
Councillor Sandy McCormick
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor Sam Sullivan

ABSENT:

Councillor Jennifer Clarke (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Leave of Absence)
Councillor Daniel Lee (Leave of Absence)
Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator

*denotes presence for a portion of the meeting.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor McCormick
SECONDED by Councillor Price

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
May 2, 2002

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

Clause 1

MOVED by Councillor Sullivan

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

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clause 2

MOVED by Councillor Price

THAT Council approve a shift in the property tax distribution equal to approximately 1% of the 2002 general purposes tax levy (approximately $3.9 million), applied proportionately from Class 2 (utilities), Class 4 (major industrial), Class 5 (light industrial) and Class 6 (business/other) to Class 1 (residential) properties.

LOST (tie vote)
(Councillors Bass, Louis, and the Mayor opposed.)
(Councillor Don Lee absent for the vote.)

Clause 3

MOVED by Councillor Sullivan

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 3 of this report, be approved.

CARRIED
(Councillors Bass and Louis opposed to A.)
(Councillor Louis opposed to B.)

Clause 4

NOTE FROM CLERK:

Approval of grants requires 8 affirmative votes. As only 7 Council members were present, the Committee's recommendation was referred to the Council meeting immediately following the May 2nd Planning and Environment Committee meeting where it was subsequently CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY.

A delegation from Women Against Violence Against Women inadvertently did not have the opportunity to speak. Council therefore agreed to hear from the WAVAW delegation at a future meeting. This item is now scheduled for the May 16, 2002, Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets. Because no action was taken on items B through G, they will be resubmitted as Unfinished Business (UB-1) to the aforementioned meeting.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Bass

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 12:33 p.m.

* * * * *

cs020502.htm

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