A tax for the winter games??? I thought these events brought in KAZILLIONS of $$$!?
I get it now… we spent millions so that a few hotels and cafes can make a few bucks more. Party on PG.

Is the big pay hike for council included? I thought they were in the cutting mode. Any staff cuts coming? And virtually no increase to fix our roads.

So they say yes to giving themselves a 30% pay increase but only budget .6% increase for roads. Nice priorities.

Of course a tax for the winter games, you are surprised. We get taxed so that others can profit. Being retired I just get hammered more and more everyday. There are all these so called economic experts out there and all they can come up with is raising taxes or using their convoluted imaginations to develop new taxes.

Seamutt has it right. The people at City Hall dont seem to have the intelligence to do anything other than raise taxes. Why is this??

We already have a separate line item for taxes for the winter games from 2011 to 2015. Sounds like they are going to increase this by 1%. The cost of the Winter Games to taxpayers in additional taxes will be around $15 Million dollars. Some business’s like restaurants, bars, and hotels, will make money, while others like retail will lose. The average taxpayer will get nothing.

To suggest that the people of Prince George are behind these games, just because a bunch of kids and their parents stood in the street and waved flags, is probably not a good gauge of public opinion. Had taxpayers been told the actual cost and the amount of additional taxes that would be required, the outcome might have been somewhat different.

I expect the new Councillors (and the old) to hold the line on taxes and hopefully reduce costs at City Hall by 5-10% this year for starters. They were elected to get the City spending under control and thats what they should do. If this entails getting rid of the City Manager, then so be it.

If this entails getting rid of the City Manager, then so be it.
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I have to agree with you on that Pal. This guy was quick to come up with the cost for a Core Review. So if He knows the cost why cant he and his 18 directors do the review
Cheers

Time to revisit the pay scale for our city employees from managers up. They should do a salary survery and then pay our people the average wage, not the top wage just the average wage. Since they only do the average job their pay should reflect that.

I say cancel the winter games and give us back our money. I did not vote for the games, I will not be able to see any of the events because I will not be able to afford to go because they have take my money in taxes. Get rid of all the high priced staff and higher new staff at reduced income and we can save a bundle. There are always good people willing to accept new position and fill job opportunities and qualified people at that. Last year when they posted incomes of higher paid staff many were making well over $100,000 per year. They sure did not earn that type of income. Time for them to pay up with 20% rollback and that would save a bundle if they won’t fire them. They have a choice, take it or leave it.

Here is the letter Id like to see:

“Dear Mr Bates. Effective for 2013 we, the council, are taking a 15% rollback in wages. Your budget will be rolled back by 15% as well. Please forward us information on how you are planning to provide the same level of service to the people of Prince George for 15% less than you do now. If you cannot do this please advise asap so that we can hire your replacement. Sincerely, PG City Council”

I like the start of your letter interceptor but if you think city hall can cut 15% and not impact services you are a fool. That’s the same BS we heard from our new mayor during the campaign. She said she would cut 10% and not impact services or lay anyone off.

Cuts I don’t mind, it is the absolute hypocrisy from our elected officials that blows me away. Come on. At least be honest with us (or the staff you are about to send pink slips to).

The other one that gets me is mayor and council have no problem taking a 30% pay hike while asking everybody else to tighten the belt. What ever happened to leading by example? The hypocrisy is deafening. Where is krause or skakun on this?

Skakun and Krause are busy collecting their 30% increase.

Gee. I wonder what the outcome of the **special meeting** will be.

Higher taxes:-)

“I like the start of your letter interceptor but if you think city hall can cut 15% and not impact services you are a fool.”

Agreed. It sure is easy being an armchair councillor!

“So if He knows the cost why cant he and his 18 directors do the review”

I assume by now that is a rhetorical question. Nobody really wants to read an answer.

Lots of flights of fantasy on here today …..

That letter would be considered as a constructive dismissal and Mr. Bates would get something around $500,000+ severance …….

So, you fail as a mayor to be and a Councillor to be …..

Here is what pisses me off during these tough times.When these politicians and others say”People need to get their personal spending under control”,and then turn around and continue to raise the cost of everything in from taxes,garbage,food,gas,etc.Well if these politicians would get their spending under control and quit sucking the life out of my finances,and I may have an easier time getting my costs under control.I am not leading an extravagant lifestyle by any stretch of the imagination or out buying any new toys or anything else of that nature.So quit spending as if the world is coming to an end,for there maybe a tommorow for the people.

I totally agree with you jakeadoo …..

It is one thing if we could easily have the summary information in front of us that clearly identifies where we are spending money over the last 10 years …. the financial reports of this year over last year simply does not cut it.

Essentially we need to see a financial report such as the committee of Council sees which should tell them the justification of spending … especially waht is called, in the current jargon, “value for money”.

Project or Program revenue and expense and critical or not, with some idea of the quality and scope, variable and fixed costs, etc.

With that a much better overview is required other than the pretty (useless) pie charts.

I think I am pretty good at getting information. Certainly better than the average individual. I have problems getting the information I need without walking into City Hall and asking for it at a desk and taking up that person’s time as well as my time. That is not “user friendly” or “client oriented” service.

Boy, what a bunch of whiners. It’s not a winter games tax – it’s a winter games funding levy to provide the winter game society with the money necessary to fund capital and operational costs until the games are held. Then, when the games are held, gazillions of dollars of tickets will be sold which will flow back into the society who will then flow that money back into the city. And there’ll be a massive profit because thousands of prince george residents will be expected to volunteer their time to make these the bestest winter games ever so in future people from all over Canada will flock to Prince George to spend money here, and to live here – but wait – those people aren’t going to stay if we don’t have a performing arts centre – so instead of returning those gazzillions of dollars to the Prince George tax payers, we can use that “surplus” that year to build the performing arts centre – oh crap – I guess it is a tax after all. Sorry for whining so much.

Just curious, lets say they raise council pay to $100K/yr, and we get some really, really good folks in the seats. That leadership leads to a savings of $2M per year. Would you have a problem with that?

My stand point is that if you want talent, you have to pay for talent. The taxpayer blows their corks at any increase in pay for the politicians, then complians that all the politicians are idiots. What do you expect? Most educated professionals or managers worth any salt make enough that they will have to take a pay cut to be on council. Would you take a pay cut to put up with the crap that they do?

Last question, explain to me why if being on council is so lucrative all of you aren’t running every year for a seat? So next election year, put up or shut up.

Porter: “My stand point is that if you want talent, you have to pay for talent. The taxpayer blows their corks at any increase in pay for the politicians, then complians that all the politicians are idiots. What do you expect? “

Very good points. I think most of the people around here want the best and brightest to work for next to nothing.

Trouble is we are paying for the best and brightest but their batteries are almost dead.

Ski 50 & Porter the problem is I have not heard a lot of hoopla over the Canada Winter Games ever, until we had a chance to play host to them.I can’t recall any athlete’s being mentioned or any reporting of the games,
to any extent.I imagine any Olympic Games contender or favourite athlete from Canada had there start at these games,but we hardly have any reportings on them in these parts.

Hey jakeadoo – not sure if you picked up on it, but I was being sarcastic. I’m not for the games at all. In fact, I’m a volunteer ski patroller and apparently I’m expected to make myself available during the games to provide first aid services – for free!!! Not going to happen. 2015 will be the year I just pay for my lift ticket.