1196 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Besides the police budget, where else did our magnanimous councillors trim the fat?

[Stephen James]

Besides the police budget, where else did our magnanimous councillors trim the fat?

no information was offered on that...

 

I suspect they trimmed nothing and, instead, shelved some important projects for 2024:

- Lego for the homeless

- a minstrel to make us feel good downtown (we'll need to crowdfund a tac vest to keep them safe)

- a retractable dome made of reclaimed ocean plastic to shade the city during hot days

- a biodegradable, single use submarine for the inner harbour, (launched as a green triumph and quietly forgotten)

[Nparker]

Sadly, those sound exactly like the kind of things the CoV would fund.

[Mike K.]

Looks like Victoria homeowners and businesses will get a 6% violation by council this year.

(6% tax increase.)

 

Jeremy C. explained to the JBNA last week how he heroically and nearly single-handedly reduced our unconscionable 9% tax burden to a perfectly reasonable 6% screwing; perfectly reasonable because "normal" has been the cruel, arbitrary policy of inflation plus 1%.

 

He told us that "he" decided that limiting VicPD to inflation was the right thing to do, to be fair.

 

If I had to guess, Mr. Caradonna may be trying to get the attention of the NDP to be picked as the successor to Grace Lore, and is trying on multiple fronts to get noticed as such. Just a thought.

[aastra]

 

Sadly, those sound exactly like the kind of things the CoV would fund.

 

Disagree. I don't think the submarine would actually be functional.

[Nparker]

Disagree. I don't think the submarine would actually be functional.

Since when was functionality a requirement for CoV funding?

[aastra]

That was my point. It was supposed to be a hilariously wry observation.

[lanforod]

Would it sink? Or float?

[aastra]

Yes.

[aastra]

A bit of both.

[Stephen James]

A bit of both.

It was originally described as single use...

[Stephen James]

If I had to guess, Mr. Caradonna may be trying to get the attention of the NDP to be picked as the successor to Grace Lore, and is trying on multiple fronts to get noticed as such. Just a thought.

looks like...

His self-promotion, self-reference seems more like a tic now that the electioneering is over.  

And rumours JT thinks he deserves to be mayor next.

[Stephen James]

Sadly, those sound exactly like the kind of things the CoV would fund.

thanks!

I was going for the boundary between the slate's typical ideas and complete insanity, which is hard to define...

[Victoria Watcher]

 

 

 

Grumpy Taxpayers:

 

Budget proposal another

blow to affordability

 

Tax-and-spend budget approach rejected

 

 

The city's current tax-and-spend 2023 budget proposal of almost seven percent demonstrates a stunning lack of fiscal discipline and situational awareness, says municipal watchdog Grumpy Taxpayer$.

 

After council capped any increase to 6.96 percent, staff proposed a mere $402,000 decrease in expenditures, leaving the operating budget of $298,173,730 virtually untouched.

 

On top of that, parking fee revenue will be substantially hiked by $1.8 million. Increased parking fees will likely result in a negative impact on the already struggling downtown business community.

 

"Time for taxpayers to send suggestions to council on bringing in a budget based on the current economic reality," says chair John Treleaven.

 

"As other councils are discovering, there's only one chance to make a first impression that meets the seriousness of the moment - this is not it.

 

"The current 6.96 percent budget ask is unaffordable for far too many city residents and businesses."

 

• Instead of increasing parking fees, why doesn’t the council turn their attention to collecting more of the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in unpaid fines?
• Isn’t there in-house expertise among the 1,000 or so employees to look at new off-lease dog parks instead of spending $400,000 on a consultant?
• 'People and Culture’, whatever that is, is wanting a 38 per cent budget increase?
• Considering the current staffing level and current budget, doesn't a 20 percent increase to $1.8 million for the communications and engagement department seems a little rich?
• How can a $2 million increase to ‘business and communications’, this after an initial trim, be justified?
• Why are there large increases year-over-year in bylaw, legal, and corporate expenses which far in excess of inflation?
• In a capital budget of $65.3 million, surely some projects can be scaled back or delayed for another year or two?
• Will the city’s share of the one billion dollars in new grants going to local governments in B.C. to help build community infrastructure and amenities decrease the capital budget ask?
• Given that annual surpluses have been escalating dramatically the past decade, can some of that money be used to moderate the tax rate?

 

Why won't council recognize that city residents have the lowest median after-tax household income in the region (2021 Census), and because of that they are especially impacted by high tax rate hikes.

 

Does council actually believe residents and business can afford a seven per cent percent tax hike?

[Awaiting Juno]

Mr. Caradonna with a last minute amendment that would kill hundreds of parking stalls at the Harris Green redevelopment may have also scuttled 1500 new units of housing. Don't worry though, I'm sure there's a vulture developer waiting in the wings to swoop in and feast on the remains delivering half as much housing that will cost twice as much and have no parking. So much for being a "housing" candidate.

[Mike K.]

I imagine Starlight has a plan B, but it won’t be 1,500-units if rentals, including 80 below market rentals.

They also wouldn’t sell this holding for someone else to develop it, I don’t think. They’ll do something with the land eventually if Harris Green Village doesn’t proceed as it’s currently envisioned.

[Ismo07]

I imagine Starlight has a plan B, but it won’t be 1,500-units if rentals, including 80 below market rentals.

They also wouldn’t sell this holding for someone else to develop it, I don’t think. They’ll do something with the land eventually if Harris Green Village doesn’t proceed as it’s currently envisioned.

 

Agreed, Starlight can wait this out.

[spanky123]

Agreed, Starlight can wait this out.

 

Any idea which of their funds this property is held in?

[Victoria Watcher]

It’s a privately held company. Might not be part of any fund.

[spanky123]

It’s a privately held company. Might not be part of any fund.

 

Starlight operates a number of funds. They have both individual and institutional investors. You can view their financial statements online.