WEST Vancouver moved one step closer to freezing property taxes in 2012 at last week's council meeting Monday night.
Five of seven councillors voted Feb. 20 in favour of the zero per cent increase, although the new draft budget still needs to go through three readings before adoption.
"The sky has not fallen," said Coun. Bill Soprovich, discussing the low property tax increases paid by West Vancouver residents over the past three years. "This community, for the most part, looks very handsome indeed."
The 2012 draft budget originally included a 1.74 per cent property tax increase, a reduction from the 2.1 per cent increase requested by council last year.
Soprovich pledged to support the zero per cent increase, and called on staff to find further efficiencies in the draft budget.
"West Vancouver has had the lowest property tax increases in the Lower Mainland in the past three years," said Coun. Nora Gambioli. "It's verging on unsustainable."
A property tax freeze may leave the district unable to deal with unexpected expenses, according to Gambioli.
"I fear that with a zero per cent budget there will be no wiggle room," she said, discussing the possible threat to infrastructure caused by a freeze.
Gambioli suggested the majority of residents may be amenable to a modest property tax hike.
"There was not one person I talked to in this community who expected a zero per cent budget," Gambioli said, causing Coun. Craig Cameron to suggest he and Gambioli "move in different circles."
Cameron pledged his support for the freeze, due partially to the district's reserve funds, which he said provided adequate wiggle room.
"I can't really stand up here strongly for either side," said Coun. Mary-Ann Booth.
Booth supported the zero per cent property tax increase, despite cuts to service.
"I do think the library took a disproportionate hit," Booth said. Coun. Trish Panz was critical of the budget process, saying she would have liked to have more conversation, possibly discussing a one per cent increase.
"I won't be supporting this," Panz said. The budget shift will force the library board to defer capital projects, something they accepted "very reluctantly," according to Panz.
"If we are going to go to our taxpayers and ask for a tax increase, we have to have a reason," said Mayor Michael Smith.
Due to rising revenue from construction in West Vancouver, Smith said council had no valid reason to request a tax increase.
The motion to pursue a zero per cent property tax increase in a new draft budget passed, with Couns. Panz and Gambioli opposed.
Panz and Gambioli received support from former councillor Michael Evison, who spoke at the meeting.
"Zero, as a policy, is not sustainable," Evison said. "The reality is that expenses and costs do increase." Evison mentioned a hike in BC Hydro rates as an example of unavoidable spiralling costs faced by the district.
"West Vancouver is a high-maintenance municipality," Evison said. "Sooner, rather than later, we will have to pay the price."
The zero per cent increase received support from Gordon Ward-Hall, who was speaking on behalf of the Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers' Assocation.
The district has handed out disproportionate wage increases to senior staff and unions, according to Ward-Hall.
"Operating increases increase by an average of five per cent per year when the rate of inflation rises two per cent," he said.
Ward-Hall also cited the AmblesideNow information office as a largely unnecessary expense.
