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While taxpayers feel the pinch, B.C.’s free-spending municipalities have been expanding their belts.

A report to be published today by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses shows that between 2000 and 2007, operating spending rose nearly 44 per cent at B.C. municipalities, while inflation and population growth increased by only 25 per cent.

Fully 129 of B.C.’s 153 municipal governments increased their operational spending at rates that exceeded what would be needed to keep up with inflation and population growth, says the report.

“That kind of spending is disrespectful to taxpayers,” CFIB vice-president Laura Jones said Wednesday. “And it’s really out of touch in this economic climate.” The report found that Prince George’s spending rose at 2.89 times the rate of inflation, the worst among large cities of over 25,000.

Twelve of B.C.’s largest municipalities spent at a rate more than double what could be justified by their growth in population and inflation.

Robertson said it’s important to remember the amount of downloading that has taken place on cities from the federal and provincial governments in recent years.

“But remember that cities manage only eight per cent of the tax base and are saddled with downloading — provincial and federal investment in infrastructure and their key responsibilities haven’t kept pace with the core needs.

“Affordable housing, child care, transportation: All of these are more and more on the backs of municipalities, and current spending reflects that. These are crucial services to the health and well-being of our cities and we can’t simply ignore them.” The report found that only 24 of B.C.’s 153 municipalities representing just 2.8 per cent of B.C. residents kept spending within population growth and inflation.

And it’s not getting much better.

The second annual B.C. Municipal Spending Watch report shows that local governments are not getting the message about fiscal prudence. Between 2006 and 2007, 92 of B.C.’s 153 municipalities widened this spending gap, while 61 narrowed it.

To cover the shortfall, municipalities have increased their revenues by 62 per cent over the seven-year period, to fund growth in operating and capital spending.

Property taxes have risen 62 per cent, user fees increased 95 per cent, and transfer payments from senior government shot up 121 per cent over the same period.

If local spending had been kept in check, the report says, people and businesses would still have $572 million in their pockets in 2007.

And property taxes would have been 14-per-cent lower.

“The conclusion is clear — municipalities have to get a lot more serious about keeping costs under control or our taxes are going to keep rising faster than our ability to pay for it,” Jones said.

Spending on operations just keeps going up, the report shows.

In 2007, spending per municipal resident was $1,142 in cities over 25,000, compared to $1,088 the year before.

The CFIB says 60 per cent of the typical municipal budget goes on salaries, which is the main driver behind higher taxes and fees.

“Given the current economic picture, you would think that municipalities would control their spending,” said Jones. “Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case.” A survey of its 10,000 members found that most small businesses are demanding limits on municipal spending.

The report calls on B.C. to follow the lead of Ontario and Alberta, and hire a municipal auditor-general for B.C. to make local governments more accountable.

A whopping 85 per cent of small businesses want regular audits of public spending by civic authorities. They also want municipal spending capped to hikes no greater than population and inflation growth.

Some 55 per cent blame property tax as the most harmful tax to their businesses.

“The No. 1 thing they need to do is keep municipal wages in line with the private sector,” said Jones, adding government workers receive 35 per cent more in wages and benefits from similar workers in the private sector.

Two-thirds of businesses said local governments should focus on core services, and not provide services outside their jurisdiction.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation agreed with the report’s findings.

“This very clearly shows that the provincial government must step in and cap property-tax rates,” said Maureen Bader, the group’s B.C.

“Spending is out of control. And the only way to bring it under control is to stop municipalities from just raising property taxes at will.”

http://www.theprovince.com/health/Municipalities+spending+outpacing+real+growth/2186197/story.html

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St. James Coun. Scott Fielding is Winnipeg’s new budget boss after Mayor Sam Katz shuffled his inner circle in time for the city to hammer out next year’s spending plans.

Four out of six members of city council’s executive policy committee will receive new jobs when council holds its annual organizational meeting, a largely ceremonial confirmation of committee responsibilities.

The most significant move is the replacement of St. Norbert Coun. Justin Swandel with rookie councillor Fielding in the role of finance committee chairman.

Swandel, a Liberal-affiliated centrist, recently finished devising a draft version of the 2010 capital budget, a spending blueprint for road repairs, new construction projects and major equipment purchases next year. EPC plans to table the document on Nov. 16.

Fielding, a Conservative who once led a commission to explore ways to eliminate Winnipeg’s business tax, will be in charge of the city’s purse strings in time to write the 2010 operating budget, a road map for spending on programs such as policing, firefighting, insect control and library services.

The timing is crucial because Katz wants to freeze Winnipeg’s property taxes for the 13th straight year in 2010, which is an election year. The mayor is under tremendous pressure to increase property taxes, now that Winnipeg has one of the lowest municipal tax regimes in Canada and the province might be reluctant to help out at budget time if Winnipeg does not exhibit a willingness to shoulder some of the financial pain. Fielding, however, said he will do everything possible to achieve another tax freeze. “I think a property-tax freeze is something we need to take a look at that. I think it makes us more competitive as a city,” he said. Swandel, meanwhile, was one of four EPC members who argued in favour of a property-tax increase this year but failed to sway the mayor. Swandel said he was not pushing for an increase in 2010, but conceded it will be difficult for Winnipeg to balance its operating budget without more revenue.

Fundamentally, I wasn’t going in the same direction as the rest of the group, both administratively and politically,” he said, adding it was time to leave his finance job because he wasn’t making enough progress in his efforts to convince city departments to free up cash from dormant or completed capital projects.

Swandel said he asked the mayor to place him charge of the downtown development committee, instead.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rookie-councillor-to-head-citys-finance-committee-68833237.html

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Urban planners laud them, condo buyers love them, but mixed-use commercial/residential developments have yet to win the hearts of Winnipeg retailers.

The Excelsior on Waterfront Drive, Place Joseph Royal on Provencher Boulevard, Pulse on River Flats & Lofts on River Avenue — there’s no shortage of high-profile commercial/residential developments that have been a hit with residential users, but a bust with retailers.

With The Excelsior, for example, Sherwood Developments Ltd. has sold 46 of its 48 residential units, but has leased out only 850 of its 11,000 square feet of commercial space. And that’s after three years of trying.

Place Joseph Royal has sold all 58 of its residential condos, but has leased out less than half its 8,000 square feet of commercial space.

And Pulse on River has sold 41 of its 44 residential condos, but the building’s commercial listing agent,Rennie Zegalski of C.B. Richard Ellis Chartier & Associates, is having a tough time finding tenants for the two main-floor commercial units.

It’s been a similar story over at the Excelsior — lots of tire-kickers but few buyers, according to Sherwood Development president Fausto Pereira.

Pereira admits he’s perplexed by the lack of interest on the part of retailers or other commercial operators.

“I thought we’d be at least 50 per cent leased by now.”

Officials have a few theories about why local retailers aren’t going gaga over mixed-use developments.

Pereira and CentreVenture Development Corp. CEO Ross McGowan said one of the most common complaints they hear is that there aren’t enough people living in the Waterfront Drive/East Exchange area to support businesses like grocery stores, bakeries or coffee shops and restaurants.

Another is that $20 per square foot, the going net rate for new retail space in the city, is too pricey for most mom-and-pop-style retailers.

That means developers and city officials need to find a way to make the rents more affordable, said Jino Distasio, director of the University of Winnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies.

Distasio said other cities have used a combination of tax breaks and rent subsidies to accomplish that, and he noted the City of Winnipeg already offers some tax breaks for downtown developers.

McGowan said CentreVenture is also willing to consider rent subsidies as a way of spurring more downtown retail development. But it’s up to developers and property owners to come up with proposals. “We’ll help, but we’re not going to lead,” he said.

The rent-reduction approach worked with the lone retail tenant that Sherwood Developments has lured to The Excelsior.

Angela May, owner of Lash Love/Love Nail Bar, said she was able to negotiate a break on her rent, although she isn’t allowed to say how much of a break. That, coupled with Sherwood’s willingness to help with tenant improvements to her space, is what persuaded her to set up shop there.

Distasio said higher population densities is one of the reasons why mixed-used developments have been so successful in larger cities.

It also helps that larger cities often have subways or some other form of rapid transit, he said, because mixed-used developments often spring up around key transit stops.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/Few-set-up-shop-in-mixed-use-buildings-68545687.html

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Mayor Sam Katz met last week with the Winnipeg Sun’s editorial board, discussing everything from photo radar to a police helicopter to funding for renovations to Canad Inns Stadium, all of which were the subject of Sun stories in recent days.

A collection of Katz’s thoughts on some other matters discussed during that same meeting:

Property taxes:

— “You can’t keep property taxes frozen forever. Is (lifting the freeze) a possibility? Yes, but I’m definitely not there at this stage of the game.”

— “The City of Winnipeg is too dependent on property taxes.”

— “There are many sources of revenue. There are user fees. To me that might be a fairer way. You use you pay, you don’t use, you don’t pay.”

— “A 1% increase in property taxes gets you $4.5 million. If you get one point of the PST, it’s $110 to $130 million. You can see they’re night and day.”

On changing the way the city accesses money from the province:

— “I think grants are silly. When you’re trying to teach your eight-year-old responsibility about money, allowances are wonderful. But saying here’s some money — be a good boy and there will be more, or giving you money so there’s a photo op, that stuff to me is nonsense.”

— “I think there should have been a greater commitment to the City of Winnipeg. I understand they had other problems to solve, but often they solved them by throwing money at them, and that’s a short-term solution. Figure out where your priorities are and that’s where you put your money.”

On finding efficiencies at city hall:

— “I personally believe we can be more efficient and save money at city hall … I think there’s a lot of duplicating. There’s definitely room in management (for job reductions).”

On running for mayor again in 2010:

— “Bottom line, I have every intention of running.”

On the Canadian Museum for Human Rights requesting more money for construction costs from the city:

— “They definitely asked for more money. I think the City of Winnipeg has made a significant contribution and my answer to date has been between our cash contribution and our services in kind, it was about $20 million. That’s a significant contribution to a significant project. I basically told them they should continue to go out there and find private sector money.”

On the possible return of the NHL:

— “I don’t know of anyone who is genuinely working on trying to get an NHL team in Winnipeg.”

— “It should be private sector-driven. If there are members of the private sector who want to bring an NHL team to Winnipeg I’d be one of the first ones to buy season tickets.”

On his legacy:

— “My legacy is Ava and Kiera Katz. My children are my legacy. And maybe the ballpark in my private sector life … (As for public legacy) what I want to see is a city that functions well and spends taxpayers’ dollars wisely.”

On his first meeting with new Premier Greg Selinger:

— “We had a very positive conversation and I think he and I will have a very good relationship. We’re both pretty straightforward guys who put it on the table. We were supposed to have a half-four meeting and it turned into an hour.”

On downtown development:

— “I’d love to take a two- or three-block area, start from scratch and do it the way it needs to be done.”

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipeg/2009/10/31/11592396.html

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“In the last six to nine months, demand for housing was decrease in Winnipeg and in Manitoba, but it has picked up a good deal. Sales of existing homes in November, 2009 set a dollar sales record of $173 million compared to $113 million in November, 2008. People have recognized that the worst of the downturn is over. Potential home buyers are now more willing to enter the marketplace, confident of what the future holds.” said Jeff Powell, senior market analyst for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in Winnipeg.

This can be seen as a good sign of recovery, well, at least for the housing market. The prices of built houses are in recovery and more homes and condos are being constructed based from what Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation issued. The CMHC data foresees a 10% improvement in building and sales activity in 2010. However, the price growth of houses is yet unclear due to rising interest rates on Main Street which will have an impact with the Main Street recovery.

The said recovery is supported by growing employment rates and increased consumer confidence. As a matter of fact, The Bank of Canada will be raising short interest rates and lenders, who have more positive response to what the bond market says money cost, are already pricing higher rates into mortgages. The economic recovery and the status of the housing market right now rest on increasing consumer confidence. This could take an effort to maintain considering changing interest rates moving from a low 1.5% to 3% and 4$ or more.

Housing market trends in Canada had gone up and down for one reason, market liquidity. When market declines, houses for sale rise, house owners want to sell but couldn’t find the right deal. This goes the same way with buyers which yield to no closed business. On the other hand, during good market condition, house buyers become more eager to make deals before prices appreciate more. Liquidity rate and sales volume mark significant growth.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has released the results of the six item question municipal candidate survey held for the civic election in Saskatoon. The survey is bound to know more about taxation powers and levels, capital projects with potentially high expenses, and recycling.

Among the 11 eleven respondents of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s survey, seven were open and recognizes the ability for the City of Saskatoon to levy more kinds of taxes, two were undecided and the two left (Robert Godfrey and Mark Horseman) completely opposed any appeals that would allow the city to receive such powers.

“The movement amongst mayors and city councils to want more tax powers is strong,” said CTF Saskatchewan Director Lee Harding. “Toronto received additional taxation powers in 2006 and has since levied a Municipal Land Transfer Tax and a Municipal Vehicle Ownership Tax. “The City of Winnipeg ran with this idea after it was proposed by the CTF, and it has been quite the success,” continued Harding. “With the strong support for this idea from council candidates, hopefully Saskatoon will soon be the next to implement it city-wide.”

One of the opposing candidate, Mark Horseman was against spending tax money to replace the Mayfair Pool, Saskatoon’s least-used and slated for closure. This act would in fact save an estimated $5 million of taxpayers money. On the other hand, Carol Reynolds opposed the blue box recycling program of the city.

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Urban areas in Canada are funded by three generators of revenue:

• Grants from senior governments
• Fees and fines
• Property taxes

It has been a system that operated well for years and had funded lots of things such as roads, sewers, water and a few other similar items.

Unluckily, that system does not work with the complex society we have right now. We anticipate more from our cities. We expect transit services for those with no transportation of their own, welfare for our poorest citizens, parks and pools for our recreation, and a whole host of other services and regulations that have become indispensable in our society.

Setting a city budget is never simple. Council Members, who are not fiscal experts, have to wade through thousands of pages of papers set up by city staff in a few weeks, all the while facing tremendous political pressure from citizens to keep taxes low while retaining or improving the services demanded by these same taxpayers. The expectation of citizens has also become a factor. People want services in their area such as parks and pools and they expect that the city will provide them in their areas.

The notion that the needs of a modern municipality can be met with an 18th century property tax system is absurd. Property taxes make no distinction between the ability of a property owner to pay and the value of the land that he owns. The apocryphal widow on a fixed income who is barely scraping by being forced to give up her home because of a property tax increase has become a far more real possibility.

Income tax, regardless of how much we hate it, has at least the benefit of being based on your ability to pay the tax. If you don’t make a large income, you pay little or no tax; if you make lots of money, you pay more tax. Of course, this system has its flaws as well, but it does not force people out of their homes.

Of course, cities would compete against each other to have low tax rates — or better services with higher taxes as they do now to a certain extent with property tax levels.

An even better reason to go for a municipal income tax is an immediate reduction in property tax levels. With the new income tax, property taxes could go back to funding only stable infrastructure costs. This would give property owners a break while these same property owners pay increased income taxes based on ability to pay that tax.

As with any system, there would be winners and losers. However, any change would probably be an improvement over the mess that we are currently in.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1702503

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Recently, an announcement was made by Rosann Wowchuk, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives; it is about a new regulation that aims to provide Manitoba enterprises with increased access to capital under the Community Enterprise Development Tax Credit. The said program will give the locals valuable personal tax credits for investing in community-based projects.

The amendment to the Community Enterprise Development Tax Credit Regulation will elevate the share approval limit for the planned project from $500,000 to $1,000,000. When the proposed project is authorized, a company releases shares eligible for the tax credit.  In return, people who invested with the shares receive a personal income tax credit equal to 30 percent of their investment. Be reminded that the maximum investment limit for an investor is $30,000 which is equivalent to tax credit of $9,000. Investments can be accomplished either directly in an investor’s own name, through their retirement savings plan (RRSP) or through their tax-free savings account.

According to a Toronto economist, “A looming provincial budget deficit of about $600 million is more a symptom of a global recession than a government that can’t control its spending.”

Issued on their second quarter financial report, Manitoba has projected a $592-million budget deficit for the year 2009/10. It’s a $640-million negative adjustment to the $48-million summary surplus the province projected in the March budget.

Warren Lovely, a CIBC senior economist said that the Manitoba’s shortfall is connected to the recession that occurred in United States. The weaker industrial demand for electricity from Manitoba Hydro was also pinpointed, as this year’s profit of $120 million is $145 million less than budgeted. Aside from this, Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuck has noted spring flooding and the pandemic H1N1 flu contributed to the economy’s condition.

However, the Manitoban government is still on track to an average pf $221-million surplus for the four year period ending 2009-10, sticking to its commitment of a Balanced Budget, Fiscal Management and Taxpayer Accountability Act. The act states that budgeting is done over a four-year period and allows deficit to be posted in one of those years.

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