Community Conversation Hears Varietyof Voices
Residents take their seats as the Community Conversation gets set to start – photo 250 News
Prince George, B.C.- Three Councillors for the City of Prince George attended the Community Conversation on the Core Review.
Councillors Garth Frizzell, Brian Skakun and Frank Everett were in the audience which filled the CNC atrium to capacity.
Joan Chess of the Fraser Basin Council, stepped in as moderator and set the ground rules, it is all about "respect" as she advised "We would like this to be a respectful setting as our elected officials are more likely to listen if the message is respectful." The session was recorded and a CD will be produced and distributed to Council members for their viewing.
The capacity crowd included people from non-profit organizations. They are feeling the pinch in the coming taxation year as many have either had their exemption revoked, or, peeled back to 97% of the total tax bill.
Captain Neil Wilkinson of the Salvation Army started by thanking Council for caring enough about the community to call for a core review, but followed that with a call for celebration. "We have 185 not for profits in Prince George" said Cpt. Wilkinson, "Because of that strength it makes this one of the best communities in B.C.. Let’s celebrate that and show our support by not taxing the not for profits."
One after another, non profit organizations stepped forward asking for assistance, saying the loss of permissive tax exemptions will do serious damage to theservices they provide and that means damage to the community.
The Core review, refers to the proposed changes as "opportunities". One resident stepped forward to say, "the real opportunities Council needs to see, are the opportunities like my son, afraid of water, who signed up for swimming lessons at the Four Seasons Pool. He went on to become a life guard and got part time work at a pool in Salmon Arm, that paid his way through university." Council is contemplating having a third party operate the Four Seasons Pool.
Dawn Hemmingway stepped up to say the real issue is that the report may be from KPMG, but its not too late to change those recommendations. She questioned who came up with the suggested "opportunities" as the ideas which her table presented during the public consultation process, never showed up on the draft report.
Most of the speakers talked with pride about living in Prince George, and advised that the City is not supposed to run like a business, it is not supposed to make a profit and pleaded with City Hall not to take the money from the not for profits. One person suggested that instead, the money be taken from the businesses downtown which have enjoyed tax breaks. It was pointed out that IPG gets a million dollars a year, while other communities with economic development groups, pay only half that amount. It was also noted the City subsidizes the Northern Sport Centre to the tune of $300 thousand a year.
Peter Ewert questioned why the review never examined the issues of the past which brought Prince George to the situation it is in, such as land deals, and major projects such as the RCMP building or the River Road Dike, "Why aren’t we discussing these things? If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it."
Former Mayor, Dan Rogers stepped up to the microphone to say the estimates of cost savings and revenues are just that "estimates" . He says a little corporate knowlege would have been good on issues such as amalgamation of emergency dispatch services. He pointed to a report that was commissioned 10 years ago which recommended such a move not be taken because it would risk public safety. He said the real cost of this report is the price of alienating your workforce, and dividing the community, based on political ideology rather than a solid business case.
Comments
I certainly hope Shari Green and council had their ears opened by the public and next core review should be done by the comunity. This would ensure the citizens have their say in the review.
Doug Jeffrey who is the son of longtime and well respected former City Manager Chester Jeffrey said it all. His dad could have done this core review on his side desk.
He also stated that the numbers can be made to say whatever anyone wants them to say.
You should be ashamed of yourself for the $350,000 farcical waste of money you have perpetrated upon the people of Prince George Shari.
And where were you tonight? No guts.
By the way, the meeting was well-attended by well-spoken, polite,considerate members of the public of the city who care about the quality of life here.
They made it abundantly clear they are not about to sit by and watch it sold off to private interests, or have the hard non-profit work they do hammered into the ground while the downtown tax exempt businessmen get richer.
Shame shari green.
And to those of you who did not attend, the people who were there want to hear your voices about the future of this city.
Mayor Green and council do not have the mandate to start selling off city assets. Not one member of the current council – Mayor and councillors, not a one, campaigned that they were going to sell off assets and privatize city services.
Congratulations to the organizers of this event. You could not have asked for a more respectful group opportunity. All speakers spoke with respect and with obvious passion for âTheir Cityâ. The Atrium at the College of New Caledonia was filled to capacity by concerned citizens representing a huge cross section of the Prince George community. To the Mayor and Councillors who supported Councillor Cameron Stoltzâs opinion that hosting an activity like this is âreprehensible to say the least, and only designed to make political hayâ you missed a fantastic opportunity to listen to your community, and actually act like the representatives of the public you were elected to be. By not being present to simply listen, you have actually shown your true colors to the real community of Prince George. Not very politically astute, if those are you aspirations! No one was there to attack you.
However, there will be several more opportunities I am certain for you to come out and listen in a respectable public forum. The community is forgiving, and they are a long way from finished when it comes to defending their city, and what they have built.
Truth being told, the message delivered was loud and clear. We want to look at opportunities that will build our city, make it stronger, healthier, and a more attractive vibrant place to live. We love our civic facilities and cherish the opportunities we as taxpayers have delivered by making them accessible at a fair price to our community. After all, we own them, and we want to keep it that way. We do not want them placed in the hands of a third party, whose focus is to make profit; the purpose of our facilities is to support our community. Heavy emphasis was always placed on âOur Cityâ, Our Community, and Our Social Fabricâ.
The Non Profit Sector also spoke loud and clear. The best analogy of the night compared the permissive tax exemption reductions to taking the milk out of the mouths of the babies that we as a non-profit provide support to. That really hits home.
The non-profit sector provides the social support network to our community that cannot ever be replicated by anyone at the same price, or with the same level of volunteer commitment. Hundreds of thousands of person hours are given each year in this community to weave this social fabric. To begin throwing it away for less than the annualized cost of paid lunches and dinners for council meetings and special events is absurd.
Last but not least, a concerned lifelong PG citizen referenced Trend vs. Crisis; whereas the Community of Prince George is not in a crisis, but the Community is a âVictim of a Trendâ. The Core Services Review Trend; where no one wins other than KPMG as they bounce around the country and the globe delivering almost template designed CSRâs, and getting even richer off the backs of taxpayers.
If the Mayor and some of the Council members feel as though the KPMG Core Services Review will give them carte blanche access to wholesale off our values and principles of community, then they certainly are suffering from delusions of adequacy. The community is engaged, and the process has begun.
Did anybody bring up the City debt and how we were going to pay that off?
No one campaigned on or sought electoral approval for hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Boondongle either.
It’s rich that Dan Who? is saying things like estimates are just estimates and solid business cases are needed. Where was that line of thinking during the political ideology driven persuit of the Debt Monster Games?
JohnnyBelt. The City debt and how we are going to get out of the hole, was mentioned, however it seemed that was when the ear plugs came out and eyes started to glaze over.
This group was primarily interested in looking after thier own self interests, hiding under the guise of being concerned citizens. (Charitable organizations, and boni fide community societys excepted)
So we still have a strong group of unionized people looking after thier own self interests, and the Mayor Council, et al; looking after the interestes of business, contractors, developers, architects etc;
There was no indication that any of these people gave a tinkers dam about those people who make less than $45000.00 per year, pay all the costs that high income earners pay, and have no way of getting more money to offset inflation etc;.
Prince George in many ways is a poor excuse for a City. Its more like a pack of wolves that once one wolf goes down the others turn on it, kill it, and eat it. Not much care, compassion, or concern in this burg. Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.
Have a nice day.
Palopu: “JohnnyBelt. The City debt and how we are going to get out of the hole, was mentioned, however it seemed that was when the ear plugs came out and eyes started to glaze over.
This group was primarily interested in looking after thier own self interests, hiding under the guise of being concerned citizens.”
That’s the impression I get from reading some of the articles on here. Seems that we have too many people interested in saving their own interests and not interested in managing the ever increasing debt, and the costs to service that debt. That’s what we should be focussing on, imo.
Once we’ve got the debt under control, then look at a tax structure that is sustainable. As someone noted, you could probably cut 10% of City staff and not notice a difference. Of course, that would require an honest review at how the City does things, which they seem unwilling to do.
“…cut 10% of City staff and not notice a difference…”
I’m quite certain that there would be a significant impact if 10% of City staff were to disappear across the board. Done strategically with many coming from certain departments the impact would be lessened but still significant.
“I’m quite certain that there would be a significant impact if 10% of City staff were to disappear across the board.”
That assumes that City staff are doing things in the most effective and efficient way possible, which I’m sure isn’t the case.
“Done strategically with many coming from certain departments the impact would be lessened but still significant.”
Of course I am suggesting strategic reductions. I am doubtful it will ever happen, and people will still complain when their taxes go up to pay for those 900+ City employees.
It would be interesting to see how PG ranks in terms of largest employers in the city.
No city should be anywhere near the largest employer in the city.
Interesting. I wonder as well, what the mayor and city councillors were afraid of?One Democrat: good post. I agree with you. Sorry I couldn’t be there, I was working.
Palopu: “This group was primarily interested in looking after their own self interests, hiding under the guise of being concerned citizens.”
Your comment is so off the mark compared to what was going on at the meeting. it appears you are attempting to convince people of something that was not so. BS.
There was a genuine concern expressed for the city, genuine concerns expresed about a misguided and unqualified council, and concerns expressed about turning the city over to business buddies who will run the taxpayers dry and then leave when te money pool had dried up.
You must’ve been wearing some really strange colored glasses.
And JB, if you are wondering about anyone providing answers about the debt, why weren’t you at the meeting.
@One Democrat – there is no such thing as an “unqualified” council; the only qualification required is to be elected.
In my observation, “unqualified” tends to reflect the electorate. But that’s the price of democracy.
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