Citycouncil rejects separating out stormwater infrastructure on tax bills
City council decided against charging a new tax to help the city pay for storm water infrastructure, after all.
The tax was long-expected: councillors had been planning to put it on the tax bill for the first time in 2018. But on Tuesday, council voted 6-5 to withhold final approval for the plan.
Voting in favour of the tax were Mayor Daryl Bennett and councillors Lesley Parnell, Henry Clarke, Dan McWilliams and Diane Therrien.
Voting against it were councillors Keith Riel, Don Vassiliadis, Andrew Beamer, Dave Haacke, Dean Pappas and Gary Baldwin.
Riel objected by saying citizens are already tax-weary.
“If you put at axon top of at ax on top of a tax, I have a problem with that,” he said.
The charge would have been calculated individually for each property of the city, depending on the amount of runoff area (ie: pavement) on the property.
The city’ s 2018 draft budget document states the owner of an average house assessed at $243,800 would likely pay a stormwater fee of $14 next year (on a total tax bill of $3,939).
In 2018, the stormwater fee would have been expected to collect $620,000 for the city.
The money was supposed to help pay for the maintenance of the city’s 31 stormwater retention ponds, many of which are in urgent need of attention.
Coun. Lesley Parnell pointed out it isn’t an additional tax: it’s included in the planned 2.85 per cent tax increase that city property owners can expect in 2018.
Storm sewers need to be maintained, she said, so the city should go forward with the plan.
But Coun. Dean Pappas said he wasn’t happy with the tax because it unfairly penalizes downtown business owners (who would pay more, since they typically have very little greenspace).
He called for a staff report on giving downtown businesses a break on their storm water fees and council agreed to it. The staff report is due in September.
Coun. Andrew Beamer said this new fee could potentially pave the way for future special fees: “I’m concerned there will be others, down the road.”
Also on council’s agenda
Tuesday:
Curbside pickup for kitchen organics:
Council voted a final time to approve a plan to start a curbside pickup program for kitchen organics.
The project got preliminary approval, last week. The program would be undertaken in partnership with Triland Excavation and Hauling on Keened Rd.; they would process both kitchen organics and leaf and yard waste.
The project could be eligible to receive 50 percent of the $9 million start-up cost from the province, which is handing out grants for environmental programs funded by its cap-and-trade program.
Truck driving schools:
Council voted a final time to order a new report from city staff on the damage caused to Peterborough’s roads and streets by truck driving schools.
The report is also meant to consider whether a user fee can be charged to truck driving schools to help pay for the wear-and-tear done to roads.
Coun. Dan McWilliams suggested the report earlier this month, and council agreed staff should study the matter.
M cW ill ia ms said in an interview this week he’s hearing complaints about the transport trucks causing traffic congestion and using residential streets as training routes (such as Spillsbury Dr.).
Trent Research and Innovation Park:
Council voted a final time to approve $48,660 more for a consultant to do additional work on the planned new Trent Research and Innovation Park.
Toronto-based Brook McIlroy Inc. would then receive $440,411 (up from $391,751).
It’ s all because a wetland located between the site of the research park and the developed East Bank of the Otonabee River was reexamined lately, at the request of Otonabee Region Conservation Authority.
The wetland is now presumed to be provincially significant- meaning that a new road layout and more open space will be required, in the plan.
Last week, Coun. Dan Mc Williams was unhappy that the city seems to be often adding money to contracts, mid-stream: “Is nobody able to stick to their guns, here?” he asked.
Transit deal:
Council voted a final time to approve a settlement between the city and its 107 transit workers.
The deal, which gives transit workers modest pay increases and enhancements to their benefits, would hold for six years.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1320 voted 80.7 per cent in favour of the settlement and councillors gave it preliminary approval last week.
Mayor Daryl Bennett didn’ t vote on the matter; he declared a “perceived pecuniary interest”, since he owns a taxi company.