UBCM, Where Are The Resolutions To Cut The Cost Of Local Government?
Wednesday, September 4, 2013 @ 3:46 AM
When you glance through the resolutions that will be before the UBCM, (Union Of British Columbia Municipalities) there is lots of navel gazing, but they are terribly short on an item that most of the taxpayers in the province want addressed and that is the spiralling cost of municipal government.
There are all sorts of resolutions on ways and means to extract more from the local taxpayers, and a goodly portion of resolutions that ask why the feds and the province are not kicking in more money for the municipalities in the province, but one would think some soul searching might be in order as too how to hold the cost of local government to a more manageable degree.
The general public has been forced to reduce its standard of living over the past few years to stay within the guidelines of inflation. The private sector wage settlements have been centered round the rate of inflation, but when it comes to municipalities, the book gets thrown out the window.
It is easy, very easy to simply tag on a few percentage points come rate setting time , do a bit of spin and appear to be holding the line. That is anything but the case if you use Prince George as an example.
There is one resolution that centers around the matter of conflict. It suggests the UBCM get its collective minds around the matter of conflict before the justice system takes the initiative on their behalf. A recent ruling of the court has already thrown the issue of conflict more wide open and tighter rules that respect conflict are in order.
I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.
Comments
Great article, Ben. Our local leaders seem to be very hesitant to make some tough decisions. Putting them off and keeping the status quo is not an option.
I agree. The example of reducing costs should start at the top. Lets start shaving a few percentage points off their salaries to begin with and then lets see how many of them we can do without.
I think the voting (paying) public needs to be consulted before any management hiring takes place and it should be a wide cross section of taxpayers who determine what the managerial salaries should be as well.
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