Local politician launches petition to give RCMP auxiliary officers a tax break

January 08, 2016 - 2:06 PM By Charlotte Helston INFO-TEL.CA
 
VERNON - A Vernon city Councillor is petitioning the federal government to get a tax credit for auxiliary police officers. The petition is posted on the Parliament of Canada website, and calls upon the government to extend the same credit to auxiliary constables — unarmed, unpaid, uniformed RCMP volunteers — as it does to certain other volunteers.

The petition, launched by Vernon councillor Bob Spiers, states "the previous government instituted a tax credit for Volunteer Firemen in 2011 and a similar tax treatment for Volunteer Search and Rescue in 2014."

To have a petition posted on the House of Commons e-petition website and eventually presented in the House of Commons, it must be sponsored by a Member of Parliament. North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold is the sponsor for the petition.

The petition will be open for signatures from Jan. 8 to May 7.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Readers are encouraged to sign the petition at this website. Auxiliary police officers put their life on line to help protect the rest of us and deserve some benefit for their sacrifices.

Gyula

************************************************************************************************************ 

Coldstream fire - Courtesy Vernon Blog

Sunday, February 02, 2014

by Trevor Rockliffe - Castanet Feb 2, 2014 / 4:03 pm

A home on Aberdeen Road in Coldstream is engulfed in flames. Crews are on the scene battling the blaze and a few streets in the area are blocked off. The smoke and flames could be seen for several kilometres. There are not reports of any injuries. We have a reporter on location and we will have more details as they become available.

Posted by Don Quixote at 2/02/2014 No comments:  

5 p.m. Update:
At approximately 2:10 p.m. today, fire crews responded to a residential fire on Northcott Drive, just off Aberdeen Road in Coldstream. Witnesses reported seeing heavy flames engulfing the south-eastern corner of a garage, about 30 meters by 40 meters in size. Fortunately the main house was located far enough away and firefighters were able to contain the blaze. “By the time we arrived on scene we took what is called a defensive approach, which means we’re basically looking at it as a loss,” said Fire Chief Shane Code. “It was a heavy fire with multiple tiny explosions with anecdotal reports from the gentleman at the home that there could be ammunition or combustibles inside.” An 18 year-old male, a member of the family renting the main home, was in the garage during the fire, but he got out safely. “With the variety of explosions over the course or five to ten minutes unrelenting, we held back and took a very defensive position at the corners of the house from the structure itself, providing us with some protection. We waited until basically we didn’t hear any more explosions.” The fire has now been contained and is cooling off. “We’re keeping it cool and safe, with the gas and steam that come off it is fairly toxic. Anything in a garage is not good.”

  *******************************************************************

Morning Star Editorial: It’s time to start talking again

Although the water distribution battle in Greater Vernon is far from over, at least there appears to be the willingness to talk about it. And that’s good news in the wake of the City of Vernon’s proposal to keep the water distribution function in one piece.The city’s plan would see all voting on water and parks and recreation shift to the North Okanagan Regional District board instead of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. This is the latest move in an ongoing saga that was launched when the city gave notice of withdrawing from the water distribution function back in 2006. The city claims its water users are subsidizing rural customers while the District of Coldstream and the electoral areas claim many of their citizens use water for agricultural purposes which makes it an unfair comparison.

It appeared the two sides were at a stalemate until this latest move by the city which should at least take it out of the hands of the lawyers and back into the hands of the politicians where it belongs. We urge members of NORD, Vernon and Coldstream councils to at least use this as a starting point for discussions towards a negotiated solution that makes sense and is accountable to all involved, namely the taxpayers of Greater Vernon who elected these people to do just that.There is a history to this dispute that predates many, if not most, of the politicians currently serving in the area. However it’s definitely a problem created by politicians that needs to be solved by the same. Rather than exasperating the situation by going the legal route, it’s time to get the deal done. (From the Vernon Blog).

*****************************************************************

Coldstream taxes lower than Vernon -- Posted by Don Quixote

Coldstream taxes lower than Vernon !

My

Compare your Coldstream taxes to City of Vernon taxes!

My fellow blogger Coldstreamer had an interesting comparison of taxes for a property in Coldstream when compared to the same valued Property in Vernon. (Click on link for full details.)

He has now updated the tax comparison to include the 2009 tax year.

His calculations are that for a house valued at $457,000 ( with Land at $260,000 and Improvements at $197,000) that:

• 2008 Municipal Taxes would be 41% Lower in Coldstream and total taxes would be 12.36% Lower in Coldstream. ($ difference on total Taxes would be $ 295.71)
• 2009 Municipal Taxes would be 43% Lower in Coldstream and total taxes would be 13.28% Lower in Coldstream. ($ difference on total Taxes would be $ 331.25)

-----------------------
You can use the Vernon City tax calculator to calculate the taxes for any property in Vernon and then use the tax rates in Coldstream from the tax comparison sheet to compare taxes.

Posted by Don Quixote at 5/30/2009 0 comments

*****************************************************************

Madoff in jail!

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bernard Madoff has pleaded guilty to charges that he carried out an epic fraud that robbed investors worldwide of billions of dollars. Thursday's plea means Madoff could be sentenced to 150 years in prison. It comes three months after he admitted that his once-revered investment fund was all a big lie -- a Ponzi scheme in the billions of dollars.The scam quickly turned the 70-year-old Madoff into one of the most vilified men in the world as thousands of investors came forward to say they were defrauded.

************************************************

More cash from the Cash Cows?

The following information was copied from the Vernon Blog. This is important information for Coldstream taxpayers as well.

Our politicians think that we can pay for the financing of the present financing of the Multiplex and the Theatre and also start financing the replacement of those same facilities sometime in the distant future. This is asinine. Most people are concerned with existing taxes they do not want to start paying for facilities to be built in the distant future. When those facilities are needed they should borrow the funds and pay as you go. Any time a slush fund is built up there is the danger of some bureaucrats or politicians cast their beady eyes on it and use it for purposes of their own. Just remember the sewer fund grab by the 2005 Council. If you do not wish to spend your taxes on such slush fund make sure you let your Council know about it. While it is GVSC that is doing the deed that GVSC is composed of City and Coldstream Council members with two additional members from Electoral Areas "B" and "C".

----------------------------------------

JUSTIFY this policy on RESERVES to the Taxpayer.

"First the Regional District looks forward to receiving input from you in the financial planning process. With regards to any discussion of the issue of reserves in-camera, outside of specific legal, labour and/or land issues that may have an impact on the financial plan all budget discussions take place in open meetings.

As for the reserve balances for both the Multiplex and Community Theatre, the net transfers to reserves for 2008 are $78,143 and $96,101 with anticipated 2008 year end balances of $646,728 and $353, 388 respectively. The five year plan assumes a growth factor of 3.92% a year and assuming that this occurs at the end of five years the reserves will accumulate to $2,662,935 and $1,327,590 respectively. The plan however does not currently include life cycle costs for both facilities which are currently in the process of determining. Once staff has these costs we will be reviewing the reserve balances again.

Again I look forward to your input into next year’s financial plan."
-----------------------
I received the above details from Mr Harris the CFO of NORD in a most timely fashion. They were given in response to my e-mail of the same day to the following questions:

1. The expected 2008 reserve balance for the Multiplex will be $ $376,461 of which $145,574 will come from this years budgeted transfer into reserves?

2. This does not include a further 2007 unaudited surplus of $435,840. (budget $204,974) which will be added to this 2008 reserve balance when confirmed?

3. The 2017 target for reserves in the Multiplex Account is $6,992,874 ?

4. The expected 2008 reserve balance for the Performing Arts will be $ $316,917 of which $107,721 will come from this years budgeted transfer into reserves?

5. This does not include a further 2007 unaudited surplus of $46,491 (budget $20,888) which will be added to this 2008 reserve balance when confirmed?

6. The 2017 target for reserves in the Performing Arts Account is $3,421,356?
-----------------------
Don Quixote Note: It is too late this year for the public to have any effective input on this budget as it was passed at last Wednesday's NORD meeting.

Effectively it confirms the planned 2008 ending reserve totals of $646,728 for the Multiplex with a 5 year target of $2,662,935. (The operating costs in year 5 or 2012 is projected to be $1,525,931. The 5 year reserve will form 174% of that years operating costs.)

Similarly the Community Theatre is confirmed at the planned 2008 ending reserve totals of $353, 388 with a 5 year target of $1,327,590. (The operating costs in year 5 or 2012 is projected to be $290,028. The 5 year reserve will form 457% of that years operating costs.)
--------------------
The staff at NORD has presented a way of building up reserves in these two buildings on the current taxpayers dime and I have yet to hear from one Politician that sits at this table either what they will be used for or that they agree with this form of taxation. There is now indications of revisiting this budget for 'life cycle costs for both facilities' which may or may not be an euphemism for further upward revisions.

I expect these Politicians to stand up in their respective open Council meetings and explain why these large yearly tax burdens have been accepted and the full reasons for these reserves and their planned use.

Vernon's taxes at NORD are increasing by 6% or $513,344 in 2008. The reserve policy as voted on by your representatives at GVSV and NORD is a major part of that increase. JUSTIFY this policy on RESERVES to the Taxpayer.

****************************************************

Valley governance moving forward.

The following article was plagiarized from Don Quixote's blog. It is an excellent review of the work of the Super governance group. I specifically enjoyed his reference to the "cross fertilization of ideas" and its benefits. Enjoy!

Castanet Feb 28
The committee studying possible area-wide governance options in the Okanagan Similkameen is moving forward and forming a focus in its work. It’s planning to complete a report for the Minister of Community Services by March 31st. At its meeting in Vernon Wednesday, the Regional Governance Study Working Committee received the results from consultations with all local governments in the North, Central and South Okanagan Similkameen regional districts. Consultant Allan Neilsen-Welch presented a report based on the sessions that were held during the past three weeks. The consultation process has found the most support from elected local government officials for a strong inter-regional authority or authorities within the governance study area. Neilsen-Welch says there was little support from municipal and regional district politicians for a single area-wide regional district model. His report also says local elected officials want more information and details regarding the proposed governance model options. In particular, they’d like specifics on the cost benefits for each option as well as voter representation and any voting structure.

Working Committee Vice-Chair Jerry Oglow, who chairs the Regional District of North Okanagan welcomed the consultant’s report. It shows some common themes and focus developing on the part of local elected officials throughout the Okanagan Similkameen as the discussion continues regarding possible region-wide governance options. More than 120 elected officials representing municipal councils and regional district boards in the Okanagan Similkameen have been invited to a ‘Council of Councils’ meeting. At the session in Kelowna on March 7th they’ll be asked to provide the Working Committee with feedback on the various governance options that are under consideration. This information will be used by the Working Committee to guide its recommendations in a report to the Minister of Community Services by the end of March. A link to the consultants report will be available in the next few days on the Okanagan Similkameen Regional Governance Working Committee website: www.valleygovern.ca. Residents may also go there to view information from past committee meetings and for upcoming ones. A direct email contact form is also available online for residents to complete, so that their thoughts, ideas and suggestions can be considered by the Governance committee. After the March 7th ‘Council of Councils’ session, the next regular Regional Governance Study Working Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19th at 1:00 pm at the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen office, 101 Martin Street in Penticton. The meeting will be open for residents to view the proceedings.
------------------------
Don Quixote Note: Along with about 5 media types,and a handful of interested politicians mostly from NORD, I endured 2 hours of the gathering of the chosen 12 and their hired consultants as they received the hired gun's report, reviewed it and then tried to hammer out an agenda for their following meeting. Mercifully the Noon lunch hour intervened and my ride home desired to exit and so we left as the assembled Politicos hunkered down to barley soup and sandwiches. The chosen 12 actually was reduced to the heavenly 11 as Chairman Robeert Hobson of Kelowna was apaprently working hard in Malibu. The phrase that caught my ear was "cross fertilization of ideas". I know little about farming, but it always has been my belief that throwing different kinds of shit together on the same field doesn't necessary mean a bumper robust crop, it might just mean you wind up with a big pile of shit that has to be cleaned up.

These guys were still arguing about what the true purpose of the super regional governance committee was, what the 'leader' meant with her original decision to assemble and mobilize the chosen 12 (originally the Divine 9), and whether the electoral areas should be discussed in the open or their fate merely left to the capricious whims of the revered leader Minister Ida Chong.

To me it appears that we have three separate regional districts with different reasons for being told to come to the table by the leader. The nucleus is the Central Regional District (CORD) who has lost a good portion of their 'raison d'etre' when the Westbank opted to become a municipality and now have a surplus of bureacrabs and anointed politicians that must find new homes in which to work or rule. On the north end is NORD which is unraveling and is a dysfunctional version of its original being as it blindly stumbles through governance and personality issues and was ordered to the table by the provincial government. On the South end of the table is the South Okanagan Similkameen regional district that appears to be working quite well and would like to be left alone but has been forced to endure this traveling circus probably in the hope that its functionality will serve as an example and will rub off on its Northern Cousins.

The next meeting tentatively called the 'council of council' (a ripoff of the loya Jarga in Afghanistan) will be comprised of 120 elected officials representing municipal councils and regional district boards will convene in Kelowna (Mecca?) on March 7. The Provincial Government has received special dispensation to suspend certain sections of the Kyoto protocol that prevents the large creation of artificially created hot air that contributes to global warming. The public is welcome but watching gramma's home movies might be a more entertaining choice.

**************************************************