What Kind Of Conduct Do We Expect From A City Councillor?
Thursday, October 3, 2013 @ 3:45 AM
It is important that if someone was going through some bad times that a bit of slack is cut to them when it comes to meeting one’s obligations.
We don’t know if Councillor and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee for the City Of Prince George, Cameron Stolz has a valid reason why he hasn’t been paying his property taxes over the past few years.
Chairman of the City of Prince George Finance and Audit Committee, Stolz, has not replied to requests for an interview from three different reporters at 250news.
Having said that, what message is being sent when the Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee does not pay his taxes until there is a threat of property tax sale?
What message does this send to the taxpayers of the city when Councillor Stolz assumed penalties, increased interest charges, and other charges while being instrumental in setting the taxes that the residents must pay?
What message does this send to the business community, many who have been faced with increased tax loads and more recently a move to spend yet more money on a parking system, when one of the people leading the charge hasn’t paid his share of the taxes, at least not until the final moment.
There however is a much bigger problem and that is, did Stolz talk to Mayor Green about his being delinquent in paying his taxes? If so, how did she react to the issue?
If there is a reason for letting the taxes slide, let’s hear it Councillor Stolz, if not, the question is; what conduct should we accept from the person holding the position as Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee in Prince George?
I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.
Comments
Its odd that Councilor Stolz would wait for it to be published as delinquent and then pay the bill? Why not avoid the political liability and pay it a week before its published, rather than a week after? Is he really that inept fiscally and politically?
Considering one makes near $40,000 a year as a councilor for the city one would think a councilor could afford to pay their property taxes to the city?
Considering his priorities of an $11 million dollar dyke that wasn’t needed and approval of all the funny spending bills (eg downtown parking meters)… strange way to run his finances.
That said we haven’t seen the beginning of the no equity homes yet in PG. With the mortgage rule changes and impending interest rate increases handicapping home values, and with property taxes out pacing inflation of negative equity homes… I suspect the tax sale list will only grow in the coming years.
Back to Stolz… any bets it was Commonwealth that financed his mortgage with no property tax provisions… that would make real irony.
Councillors get paid $30,000.00 per year. Not much when you consider the job.
Since when did becoming a councillor turn into a job?
There are plenty of us that earn $30,000 a year for a real job and do just fine. Don’t forget that Stolz owns a very successful business in town. Almost every councillor is a “double-dipper”, earning income from their business or job while collecting wage from council. I’d like to see a councillor or mayor who treats their polictical position as full time job and eschews all other income sources that woudl disteact them from their duties. Running for office is a sacrifice. If you don’t like the pay cut, you’re in the wrong career field. This since of entitlement how totally corrupted our policticians at the highest (federal) levels. Might as well nip in in the bud while their ‘young’ (municipal)
I have to agree with Palopu. $30K is peanuts considering the scrutiny councillors expose themselves to, not to mention the importance of the job.
You would have to love being a councillor to expose yourself to it. You’re certainly not in it for the money.
How embarrassing, eh? A little stain on one’s reputation for how long? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
What $30,000 is way more then they should get for what they do and what is it they do seems like nothing. They are a waste of money.
“Don’t forget that Stolz owns a very successful business in town.”
…can’t be that successful if he cannot pay the taxes owing on his property.
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I was just looking at the countdown clock to the 2015 Canada Winter Games. It is counting down to midnight.
Does that mean the opening ceremonies will be like a New Year’s countdown as we approach midnight and the Games Anthem will be played at midnight as the ball drops? …. then there will be free drinks at the Plaza of the Provinces and Territories, or whatever it is called, until 2am?
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