1
CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on
Thursday, January 18, 1996, at 10:40 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 Owen
Councillors Bellamy, Clarke, Hemer,
Ip, Kennedy, Kwan, Price
Puil and Sullivan
ABSENT: Councillor Chiavario
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole,
Mayor Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of the Standing Committee
on City Services and Budgets
January 18, 1996
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: 1996 Consolidated Assessment Roll
Cl. 2: 1996 Operating Budget - Preliminary Report
Cl. 3: Funding Request for "Saferide" Program
Clauses 1 and 3
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in
Clauses 1 and 3 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
1996 Operating Budget -
Preliminary Report
Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
2 of this report, and quoted below, be approved.
A. THAT Council approve the financial strategy for the 1996
Operating Budget, as detailed in the Administrative Report
dated January 11, 1996, which establishes a target general
purposes tax increase not to exceed 1%.
B. THAT any decreases in funding from the senior governments be
added to the general purposes taxes in 1996 only; and
FURTHER THAT the impacts of these reductions in future
years, including any potential program adjustments, be
reviewed with Council in developing the 1997 Operating
Budget.
- CARRIED
(Councillor Kwan opposed to A)
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at approximately 10:45 a.m.
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REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
JANUARY 18, 1996
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, January 18, 1996, at 9:30
a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Puil, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Price
Councillor Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Tarja Tuominen
Recorded Vote
Unless otherwise indicated, votes of the Committee on all items
are unanimous.
RECOMMENDATION
1. 1996 Consolidated Assessment Roll File: 1554
The Committee had before it the City of Vancouver 1995 Assessment
Roll Report dated January, 1996 (on file), prepared by the B.C.
Assessment Authority to provide property and value information for
taxation purposes.
Mr. Harry Jones, Area Assessor, B.C. Assessment Authority,
presented a review of assessment trends reflected in the 1996
Consolidated Assessment Roll and responded to questions.
Mr. Jones noted in 1996, the total value of assessments in
Vancouver is $77 billion, which is 20% of the value in the province
($384 billion). The average value of a single-family dwelling in
Vancouver is $463,400; strata, $210,300; and commercial, $1.9 million.
In the last ten years, a typical house has increased 3 times in value.
Average real estate sales in Vancouver have been 96% of assessed
value.
Very little legislation has changed, with the exception of
assessments to railway property. For 1996 taxation, only the school
tax portion of railway taxes will be impacted. Property taxes paid by
railways will be reduced in 1997. However, Vancouver may benefit,
because all of the railway yards property value will go to market
value under "business and other" class; currently, they are assessed
under "utility" class.
The average assessment roll increase for residential properties
is 2-1/2%; for strata, 3%; for commercial, 3%. Currently, there are
200 outstanding appeals before the Assessment Appeal Board. The
appeal process is taking up 30% of staff time. Municipal taxes in
B.C. are generally lower than in the rest of Canada, with the
exception of Calgary.
The following motion by Councillor Chiavario was put and CARRIED.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT the presentation on the 1996 Consolidated Assessment
Roll be received for information.
2. 1996 Operating Budget - Preliminary Report File: 1607-1
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated
January 11, 1996 (on file), in which the Director of Finance, in
consultation with the Corporate Management Team, sought approval of a
strategy for balancing the budget with a tax increase that will not
exceed 1%.
Mr. Hugh Creighton, Director of Finance, was present to answer
questions.
During discussion, one member of the Committee felt staff should
be given direction to look at possible revenue generating sources and
be asked to clearly identify where the impacts of federal transfer
payment cuts will be. Other members noted the proposed budget
strategy did not set up something unsustainable.
The following motion by Councillor Hemer was put and CARRIED.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council approve the financial strategy for the
1996 Operating Budget, as detailed in the
Administrative Report dated January 11, 1996, which
establishes a target general purposes tax increase not
to exceed 1%.
B. THAT any decreases in funding from the senior
governments be added to the general purposes taxes in
1996 only; and
FURTHER THAT the impacts of these reductions in future
years, including any potential program adjustments, be
reviewed with Council in developing the 1997 Operating
Budget.
(Councillor Kwan opposed to A)
3. Funding Request for "Saferide" Program File: 1010
The Committee received today a memorandum from the Vancouver
Police Department dated January 17, 1996 (on file), requesting a grant
of $2,000 to $5,000 to assist in covering operating costs for one
month for the "Saferide" Program. The "Saferide" Program is operated
by the Vancouver Recovery Club as a pick-up service to transport
intoxicated individuals to a detox facility instead of diverting
police resources to perform the function.
The following motion by Councillor Kennedy was put and CARRIED.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
THAT Council approve a one-time grant of $2,000 towards
short-term emergency funding for the "Saferide" program;
source of funds to be the 1996 Operating Budget.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:40 a.m.
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