Ft. St. John Council Packed

By 250 News

Rick Bourdon asked all those in the gallery who opposed the business tax to stand.... all  70 plus did!  (submitted photo)

Ft St John-    About 70 business people appeared before Ft St John Council tonight to express their outrage at a proposed 41.7% increase in business taxes in that community.

Appearing before council Rick Bourdon, a spokesman for the group asked those that were opposed to the move by council to stand. Everyone in the room stood to express their displeasure.

Bourdon is the Owner of Transport Honda, also speaking was Theresa Mucchi of TMR Development and consulting, and Fort Motors, owner Brian Gentles.

The trio told the meeting that a statement is coming from the Ft St John Chamber Chamber of Commerce, who says they were concerned that their group was not consulted before such a huge increase.

Mayor Eglinski says his council will have a quick and rapid response.

The group says the city is proposing to raise $4,115,009 in new property taxes. $3,248,484 will come from business while $804,946 will come from residents.

The council is proposing to raise 78.9% of the taxes from 27.4% of the assessed base (business).

Home taxes have already risen in that city by over 20% in the past two years, and critics say that the projects proposed or under way in that community could force the city to hike taxes by even a further amount next year.

The business owners say with a proposed $10 million dollar fire hall, $6 million dollar in road work, and a $6 million tourist centre at the edge of the city, taxes will have to rise.

Added to that they say is the Ener-plex with an estimated cost of $38 million. The province has kicked in $12 million, the city had a referendum to borrow $15 million, which is leaving the city short a further $11 million dollars. That vote passed with 12% of the people voting in favour of the project by a 58% margin.

If the project, critics say, comes in like the facility in Dawson Creek,  in which the cost ballooned by nearly 100% the taxpayers could face a major tax increase in the coming years at a time when the economy which relies in part on the woods industry is in a deep downward turn.

 City Councillor Karen Simpson says, "I wish people would come out
before it is brought to this point --- Yes, your taxes are too high,
we have to fix that some how, but we may loose some services, we may
loose some paving, so be careful...."


Mayor Jim Eglinski Closed the hearing with,

"We will take your concerns to heart, and we will do some number
crunching over the next few days, and get back to the business
community."

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