Editor:
I am very concerned regarding the rise of taxes and utility charges in Delta.
Much of the political rhetoric of late has been espousing fiscal control and what a good job our purse holders have been doing.
Well, I have studied in some detail our recent tax and flat rate utility bills and wish to confuse some of the bull droppings and folklore with some facts.
The Corporation of Delta's stated increases in gross taxes have been 3.98 per cent in 2010, 2.98 per cent in 2011 and 2.9 per cent in 2012. Having reconciled my tax bill for variations in assessed value changes over these three years, I find this to be true; taxes have indeed risen 10.2 per cent over these three years.
At the same time, the flat rate utility bills have risen 24.5 per cent. In my case, the combined increase for flat rate utilities and gross taxes has been 12.6 per cent over three years. Depending on your assessment, this increase is more or less true for most of us.
The corporation is quick to point out there are special, abnormal increments for things like added capital projects (one per cent in 2010), added police (0.5 per cent in 2011) and road improvements (two per cent in 2012).
I have come to expect policing and road improvements to be a core responsibility of a municipality, along with fire protection, water and sewer, garbage collection and improvements to infrastructure through capital projects.
None of these so-called special increments should be considered as anything outside the normal responsibilities of the corporation.
The corporation is also quick to point out it is forced to pass on and collect charges by others (school, Metro Vancouver, B.C. Assessment, regional water and sewer, TransLink and the Finance Authority).
The corporation has no control over these charges.
So what about the charges passed through by other jurisdictions?
The combined cost of B.C. Assessment, Metro Vancouver, TransLink and the Finance Authority has actually decreased 1.9 per cent over three years. Thank heavens Delta has no control over these.
The school gross taxation has increased 8.2 per cent over three years.
The corporation is also quick to point out that portions of the flat rate utility bill increases are also passed through by the regional district. Of the $180 increase (24.5 per cent) over three years, $124 is from the regional district and $56 is from Delta.
Within the make-up of the flat rate utility bill, water costs have gone up 29.5 per cent, sewer is up 14.6 per cent, garbage is up a whopping 42.9 per cent and recycling is up 4.2 per cent.
So what's the bottom line in these numbers? Charges controlled by Delta have gone up 11.6 per cent over three years. School taxes have gone up 8.2 per cent.
Regional water and sewer cost have gone up $124.
Costs passed on by other jurisdictions have gone down 1.9 per cent.
Homeowner's net taxes have risen 14.5 to 15.6 per cent. The Consumer Price Index is up 5.1 per cent in B.C. and 5.4 per cent in Vancouver over the same time.
Our net taxes have risen beyond the general increase in goods and services by 10 per cent over the last three years. Delta and the school levy own virtually all of it.
I disagree that our purse holders have been doing a good job. Perhaps they could focus on efficient delivery of the basic responsibilities of a municipality. All the special interests and pet projects will continue to have their hand out. Just say no.
G.B. (Barry) Brett
