Secondary Suites License Fee to Be Repealed
Prince George, B.C.- City Council has been pressed into repealing a bylaw that charged a fee for secondary suites.
In a 5-4 split vote, Council has approved repealing the bylaw which required owners of legal secondary suites, to pay a business license fee for each suite. The Mayor says while some will say this fee was a tax grab, she maintains the reason for the fee was to cover the costs associated with dealing with problem suites such as costs associated with police calls to those problem suites.
Administration had already become aware of some of the issues with the bylaw, as non-profit organizations were hit hard by the amount they would have to pay in fees for their rental units. Administration was already working on presenting some ideas for change and hoped to present those ideas to Council around the end of May.
Councillor Frank Everitt, who was instrumental in having the recent hikes in the off street parking rates rolled back, was the one who brought the secondary suite issue back to Council, saying the bylaw is not balanced because those who have illegal suites cannot get such a license, “Council policy should be fair and equitable.” says Everitt.
It will take another three meetings of Council before the bylaw is off the books. There will have to be some consideration given on what is to be done with the fees already collected under this bylaw.
Comments
Another ill advised flip flop. Left leaning members of council including Everitt and Hall are using these flip flops as political tools. There is an election coming you know.
The article says “Councillor Frank Everitt, who was instrumental in having the recent hikes in the off street parking rates rolled back”
…excuse me….the rates didn’t get rolled back he increased the rates. Whats worse is that Everitt and Hall didn’t even realize what they were doing.
I expect the lefty stuff from Everitt.
but Lynn hall….what a disappointment.
she the mayor maintains the reason for the fee was to cover the costs associated with dealing with problem suites such as costs associated with police calls to those problem suites.
That has to be right up in the top 10 as being one of the most ridiculous quotes of the year.
Does anyone know what percent of the “problem suites” are also “illegal suites”?
The only legacy Shari will leave behind is being the worst mayor this town has ever seen.
There are to many “Quick” fixes recommended to city council and city council is to “Quick” to accept the recommendations.
Both council and administration are getting paid to do nothing but flip flops?
“There will have to be some consideration given on what is to be done with the fees already collected under this bylaw.”
How about give it back.
What is the the mayor trying to say? Did she really say that there should be an extra tax on suites because the renters are acting like criminals and should cover the costs of the RCMP? Just because they can’t afford a big house doesn’t mean they are deviants.
Ha I see the mayor has her attack dogs out. Trying to trash Lyn Hall already.
I was ticked that our Mayor also said that police costs were being subsidized by taxpayers and that landlords should be paying extra fees to recoup those costs. Does she believe that landlords don’t pay taxes? Not only do we pay taxes but we aren’t able to claim the HOG so we actually pay more than the average home owner.
This Mayor is out to lunch, her comments to justify the money grab is embarrassing. Call this what you want but paying attention to and receiving more information to reverse a by-law the right thing to do. Have 5 councillors starting to find their way and push back.
Thank you Frank, Glad to see four other of your collegues are seeing the light.
What does taxing the illegal suites got to do with discouraging problem suites. Is it the suite that is the problem, or the people in the suites. What is all the low income family who live in cheaper illegal suites that are trying to get started going to live.
It may not be Sherry Green that came up with this idea, but I am sure it is one of the overpaid boneheads in the office of the city that came up with this idea.
Guesswhat, I think we need to start a city watchdog. Criticize them on bonehead moves, and Praise them on good moves.
The bylaw on licensing rental housing was flawed from the get go.
How can you require people with legal suites to pay a license fee, when thousands of illegal suites are not required to do so???
If they were being upfront and honest they would force the illegal suites to come into line with regulations or close them down, however because there are so many, and because this type of accommodation is necessary in this City they seem to ignore illegal suites.
This was nothing more than a failed attempt to collect additional revenue for the City, and we can thank Councilor Everitt and the other four coucilor’s for
dealing it a death blow.
Posted by: He spoke:
I think we need to start a city watchdog. Criticize them on bonehead moves, and Praise them on good moves.
I agree, Only problem is there would still be nothing a watchdog can do. Unless we request a grant from the city ;)P lol
It floors me the people on council just do not have common sense. To keep using the excuse “to much on the agenda to vote on due to the core revue..” Is a shameful.
I would not want to be on City Council. I think the bigger problem is out of town Land Lords that do not care who they rent to or what their renters do as long as they get their money. A Example of this is the old Ranch Motel on Victoria ST. and now the Connaught Inn is looking like its going the same way. Land Lords need to be responsible for their properties.
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