Kim Richter

There is another side to EVERY story especially when it comes to taxation and service delivery. This is a side that has not been told but that local property taxpayers need to hear, and be aware of.Today in the BC Government's Throne Speech, the provincial government once again reiterated its support for $10/day daycare. I totally support this and I expect the provincial government to step up to the plate, finance it, and deliver it.What I do NOT expect and do NOT support is the provincial government downloading this cost to municipalities.Of every tax dollar generated in this province (and country), only 10 cents of every tax dollar generated goes to municipalities.From this 10 cents, municipalities are expected to provide police protection, fire protection, clean water, sewer services, parks, garbage collection, bylaw enforcement, community planning and development, etc. Municipalities do this and do this well on ONLY 10 cents of every tax dollar generated in this province.Nowhere does it legislatively say that municipalities HAVE to provide subsidized day care. This is a provincial responsibility and a provincial promise. So they need to fund this.Give municipalities more than 10 cents out of every tax dollar (like double this amount at least) if they expect municipalities to provide this service.In other provinces like Ontario, before-school and after-school programs are run through the School Boards and financed by them. Why don’t we do the same thing in BC?Why doesn’t the provincial government step up and put its money where its mouth is?I reject the idea that municipalities were created to provide subsidized day care solely on property tax dollars.If the provincial government wants this to happen, then they should fund it 100% from their share of the 90 cents on every tax dollar that they get.Stop eroding the 10 cents that municipalities get. What exactly do they think we should cut out of our municipal budgets in order to do this? Fire protection? Police protection? Parks? Sewer? Garbage collection? Or do they just expect us to raise property taxes?Clear Provincial answers (as well as Provincial $) are most definitely needed and wanted. Where do both the Langley MLA’s stand on this? How exactly will they vote to fund this provincial promise? How will they protect our municipalities from provincial promise downloads?Answers are needed now for our Municipal property tax payers in the Township of Langley.Kim Richter - Councillor (Township of Langley) ... See MoreSee Less

Kim Richter - Langley Township Councillor

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