Onward, upward and into your pocket again!

Podunkians received an early Christmas present from City council this week, with notification that our water and sewer rates will be going up yet again, this time by five per cent in 2008. The latest increase is added on to last years rise in rates of 12.5%, making for an increase of 17.5 percent in just two years.

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As councillor Gordon-Payne describes it, the city had no choice, as the increase was required due to the state of the city’s current finances; with no money in the bank and a declining population.

That may be true but, it’s also a situation that probably hasn’t been helped by some questionable past decisions, by successive city councils over recent years.

More than a few critics might point any number of past issues, such as the old Skeena pulp mill deal, the Citytel privatization and subsequent Monarch cable television purchase, or recent controversies over Regional District as just a few examples of money that could have been used for pressing civic requirements, thus easing the burden on that declining tax paying base.

While they continue to promise that better times are just around the corner, the need to go back to the same old well time and time again continues.

It’s no wonder that local taxpayers succumb to a nervous feeling every time they walk by city hall, exhibiting an unconscious need to cover their back pockets or grab on to their purses just little tighter as they travel along on that dangerous block of the Third Avenue between third and fourth streets.

The Daily News had details on the latest cash call from the city in the Friday paper.

Cost of water, sewer to rise again in 2008
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Friday, November 30, 2007
Page seven

Prince Rupert water and sewer rates will be going up yet again, this time by five per cent in 2008. In addition, recreation fees in Rupert will also be going up for the first time in a few years, according to city staff.

"We've been running a deficit for years," said Gord Howie, Chief Administrative Officer. "So in an effort to meet our aging infrastructure, including the increase of materials and structure costs - and we anticipate that material costs will continue to increase - we intend to spread this out over two-to-three years."

This latest rate increase comes on the heels of what was a 12.5 per cent jump in 2007, although those residents who paid before March 31 received a 10 per cent discount.

That said, the total would be a 17.5 per cent hike since 2006, and Coun. Tony Briglio wondered aloud whether adding yet another increase onto the backs of local residents was a wise idea, despite the fact it is obvious Rupert's waterlines are in desperate need of repair.

"Some of those pipes are 100 years old, but Rupert is 100-years old," he said. "We are on the cusp of turning it around to where we have money to deal with (issues like) this, but the residents are still getting back off the ground.

"Five to eight per cent ... and I know we need to raise it 50 per cent to tackle the issue, but is this the year to do it?"

Coun. Joy Thorkelson asked for clarification of why Rupert rates on water, sewer and garbage rates are higher than other municipalities, and Mayor Herb Pond explained that it is because the land on Kaien Island is much tougher to build on, due to the rainy climate, muskegg in the ground, and other issues that do not affect other areas in B.C.

"The cost of getting to foundation is at least 30 per cent higher," he said. "When the work is being done in Rupert, all the services are in the ground.

"If you want to build a sub-division in Smithers or PG, you just scrape away some topsoil and go at it."

Coun. Sheila Gordon-Payne said that the city's current finances basically left them no choice but to raise the rates.

"It's the harsh reality of a declining population with an increase of needs for our community ... and no money in the bank," she said.

As for the recreational fee increases - for example drop-in fees at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre and the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre - new Recreational Manager Michael Curnes was on hand, and reminded council that they now have an "Everybody Gets to Play" initiative that allows children and youth from under-privileged families to use the gym facilities for free.

"If you come from a single-parent family, a single-income family, or two parents on income assistance, you can play," he said.

Otherwise, the rates for adults will be going up over the next three years, but will still be on or under-par with other B.C. municipalities when it comes to recreation fees, said Howie.
Child and youth fees will remain the same for 2008.

Thorkelson asked Curnes what about children whose parents are both working but potentially at minimum wage, meaning that they would still be under the poverty line, and Curnes said that while no mechanism was in place, they would more than likely still not turn a child away.

Gordon-Payne then asked about adults and seniors who can't afford to pay the fee.

"We don't have a mechanism in place right now," said Curnes.

Briglio then asked both Curnes and council to investigate setting up another fund for adults who can't afford the fees, to which Howie said they would take a look at it.

In the end, council passed the first three-readings of the proposed bylaw to raise those fees at a 4-2 margin, with Briglio and Thorkelson voting against the motion.