Tag Archives: City Of Winnipeg

Don’t need our money? Lower taxes!

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You won’t find their work in any art gallery, but these politicians are among the most talented artists around.

Some city councillors have turned wasting tax dollars into an art form of late. A tour de force was on display Wednesday when the executive policy committee voted to give $10,000 to help install a large artwork at the University of Manitoba.

The 15-panel work was removed from a wall at the old Winnipeg airport terminal and will be erected on the exterior of the Max Bell Centre.

Plenty of air travellers familiar with Eli Bornstein’s work think it’s pretty ugly, but that’s irrelevant. This move has nothing to do with the City of Winnipeg. The city’s own administrators recommended denying the U of M’s request, but that didn’t stop a majority of EPC members from voting to blow your hard-earned tax dollars on the project.

We can only hope the grant application will be turned down when city council as a whole votes on it.

Earlier this month two members of the city centre community committee voted to give $100 each from their ward budgets to help cover the costs of a group that had gathered outside the Winnipeg Remand Centre to sing Christmas carols for inmates. The grant application listed bus tickets among the costs of the event.

Two hundred dollars might not be a lot, but using city funds to cover the transportation costs of people who serenaded inmates is particularly galling considering a bus fare hike took effect that same week.

What a masterpiece of mindless spending.

Still on the subject of bus fares, city hall’s governance committee voted unanimously Thursday to approve Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie’s idea to give $3,000 from his ward allowance to a women’s shelter to pay for bus fare.

While this is no doubt a worthy cause, the fact is it’s not up to city councillors to throw public funds at whatever they feel like.

The next time councillors want to spend money on something the city has no business in, they should reach for their own wallets. City funds should be spent on core services like road repair and public safety. If councillors have money to spare, then clearly our taxes should be reduced.

These funds belong to the public and councillors shouldn’t spend it on whatever issues tickle their fancy.

It’s really not that complicated. We shouldn’t have to paint them a picture.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/01/14/ed-dont-need-our-money-lower-taxes

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Long road to completion

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The City of Winnipeg will take a step toward fulfilling a 43-year-old plan to build an inner ring road with the opening of the eastern extension of Chief Peguis Trail this morning.

Following the conclusion of an 11 a.m. political ceremony, motorists in northeast Winnipeg will be able to travel between Henderson Highway and Lagimodiere Boulevard on a $109-million roadway that serves as another link in a “suburban beltway” originally envisioned by transportation planners in 1968.

At the time, a report called the Winnipeg Area Transportation Study recommended the construction of a ring road inside the Perimeter Highway to carry both passenger and commercial vehicles. A strip of land between Henderson and Lagimodiere was reserved for the North Kildonan component of this road — and finally used when construction began in 2010.

“It was held and now it’s built,” said North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty on Thursday before city officials were taken on a tour of the new roadway, which is expected to relieve the burden of traffic on east-west streets in northeast Winnipeg, such as Springfield Road and McLeod Avenue.

These narrow arteries were not designed to handle high volumes of traffic, both in terms of width and durability, said Brad Sacher, Winnipeg’s public works director.

In contrast, the Chief Peguis Trail extension was built like a highway, with a deep base of granular material covered in a layer of asphalt, Sacher said. On a high-volume roadway with a granular base, it’s cheaper to maintain an asphalt surface over the long term, he said, adding concrete still makes more financial sense as a surface for lower-volume roads.

Originally slated to open next fall, the new roadway is ready now because of sunny weather this summer and a seven-day work schedule employed by construction consortium DBF2, the city’s partner in the project, Sacher said. Under the terms of a private-public partnership, the city will pay the consortium $8.2 million a year for 30 years for the design, construction and maintenance of the roadway.

Ottawa contributed $25 million to the project, using a fund set aside for public-private partnerships. Manitoba also redirected $9 million from existing budgets after the scope of the project was increased to $109 million from $65 million to include the cost of an underpass at Rothesay Street.

The new roadway also features remodelled intersections at Henderson and Lagimodiere, a new signalized intersection at Gateway Road, street closings at both Raleigh Street and De Vries Avenue and a bike-and-pedestrian overpass at the Northeast Pioneers Greenway, one of the city’s busier active-transportation corridors.

The city has long-term plans to extend Chief Peguis Trail west from Main Street to McPhillips Street and eventually to Route 90, as well as east from Lagimodiere to the Perimeter Highway. According to the city’s Transportation Master Plan, this will be accomplished by 2031, when the city is supposed to complete the inner ring road.

The price tag for completing the ring road is $670 million in 2011 dollars. Transportation advocates say the City of Winnipeg won’t be able to afford it without raising the money through funding mechanisms such as road tolls, gasoline taxes and property-tax increases.

“At the end of the day, the political will has to exist. Otherwise the plan is just a plan,” said Chris Lorenc, a former city councillor who regularly appears before the current council to argue in favour of more investment in infrastructure. “We can not simply sit around and wait for someone to drop a pile of money on the City of Winnipeg. It’s not going to happen.”

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/long-road-to-completion-134896743.

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Get education taxes off our lawns: ‘Pay fair’ group

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A coalition of Manitoba businesses and individuals says while schools are teaching kids to play fair, the way we pay for that education is anything but.

The Manitoba Education Financing Coalition wants the province to shoulder more of the cost for education — following up on an NDP promise in 2008. Currently the province pays 65.4% of education costs, the Coalition says, while the stated goal is 80%.

Municipal property taxes make up the rest, and in the city of Winnipeg that means 50% of a homeowner’s property tax bill is funding schools, the group says. The rate differs across the province.

Both the NDP and Tories have pledged changes to education funding.

Sunday, Premier Greg Selinger said that seniors would no longer have to pay the school tax if the NDP are re-elected. He also promised to eliminate the education tax on Manitoba farmland. The NDP have been taking steps toward that in tax credits over the past several years. Selinger estimated the tax cuts would cost $35 million and $14 million, respectively.

On Aug. 31, PC Party Leader Hugh McFadyen pledged to allow cottage owners to claim the $700 education property tax credit, in effect exempting cottage owners from up to 80% of the tax.

In a release, coalition chair Lorne Weiss downplayed both promises.

“The smart party is the one that stops nibbling at the corners of this issue and instead makes a serious effort to fund education properly through general revenues not property taxes.”

“In short, if the current system isn’t fair for seniors, farmers and cottage owners, it isn’t fair for any Manitoban.”

The group is advocating the province immediately begin funding 80% of education costs and move to 100% as soon as possible.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/09/19/education-tax-pledges-need-improvement-pay-fair-group

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City water, sewers will go into RM

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The City of Winnipeg has agreed to extend water and sewer lines beyond its boundaries to allow industrial development to proceed in the first phase of CentrePort Canada.

After months of behind-the-scenes discussions, the city and province have reached a deal to share the cost of extending services to CentrePort, the fledgling transportation hub that sits mostly within the Rural Municipality of Rosser, Winnipeg’s northwestern neighbour.

Most of the lands slated to become CentrePort are situated within Rosser, north of Richardson International Airport. Until recently, the city balked at the prospect of extending water and sewer lines into a neighbouring jurisdiction.

But under a deal Premier Greg Selinger, Mayor Sam Katz and Rosser Reeve Frances Smee announced Monday, the city and province will split the $17-million tab down the middle. The city will then recoup its investment from property taxes emanating from future developments at the 445-hectare site, under a mechanism known as tax-increment financing, or TIF.

Winnipeg and Rosser still have to work out cost-sharing and service-sharing agreements to make this happen, Smee and Katz said.

“This is what we call a small step. They’re looking for more services down the road,” Winnipeg’s mayor said.

CentrePort’s long-term plan involves decades of development near Richardson International Airport as well as the forthcoming CentrePort Canada Way freeway and a future facility that will connect manufacturers and distributors to Winnipeg’s three major railway companies, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

CentrePort president and CEO Diane Gray said she knows “waste-water treatment isn’t sexy,” but said the long-awaited servicing deal will allow commercial realtors CB Richard Ellis and DTZ Barnicke to go out and market the new industrial lands.

“We need to have practical, ready-to-deliver land to allow private investment,” said Selinger, who believes CentrePort will be able to compete with similar transportation hubs in other landlocked North American cities.

“Everybody is developing their assets, but we have significant advantages here,” said the premier, referring to the presence of the three railways, direct rail access to the deep-sea Port of Churchill, the new Richardson airport terminal and large Manitoba-based trucking companies. “We’re well-positioned to compete with any other jurisdiction.”

Katz said CentrePort will benefit the city by adding to the city’s meagre stock of industrial land. He also said he believes it will create jobs and allow the city to expand its transportation sector.

CentrePort is exploring the idea of developing residential lands to accommodate new workers, Gray said.

But the benefits of the project are not apparent to all members of city council. Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt said he wants to see precisely how the city will pay for its $8.5-million portion of the CentrePort servicing because he is not convinced the city will recoup its investment.

“We’re building services into a rural municipality and we can’t even maintain our own infrastructure,” said Wyatt, who served as Katz’s infrastructure-renewal czar before he was kicked out of executive policy committee.

“We in the city have resisted extending services because it directly erodes our tax base. Clearly, there’s no plan here, in terms of ensuring repayment or ongoing revenue for the City of Winnipeg.”

The city is also trying to reach a deal with the RM of West St. Paul to extend water and sewer lines past the Perimeter Highway, in exchange for a premium charge for delivering water and sewage-treatment services.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/city-water-sewers-will-go-into-rm-124996649.html

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Have you paid your property taxes?

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The City of Winnipeg is offering “Drive-By Drop Off” payment of property taxes in advance of the deadline to pay Thursday.

Tuesday to Thursday, city staff will accept payments outside of the Assessment and Taxation Department at the corner of James Avenue and King Street from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. To pay your bill this way, bring your tax bill and a cheque or money order — not cash.

Cash will be accepted in person at City Hall, 510 Main Street or at the Bilingual Service Centre, 614 Des Meurons. Winnipeg taxpayers can also make payments though their financial instituion or by courier, or take advantage of the city’s Tax Instalment Payment Plan.

“It’s important for property owners to make their payments by the June 30 deadline, to avoid penalties for late payment,” Nelson Karpa, city assessor in the assessment and taxation department, said in a release.

For more information on payment options please contact 311 or toll free at 1-877-311-4974 or 311@winnipeg.ca.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2011/06/27/have-you-paid-your-property-taxes

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City brochure ‘misleading,’ Wyatt says

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City council’s most vociferous infrastructure critic is accusing the city of continuing to mislead homeowners about the purpose of this year’s frontage-levy hike — this time, using a routine mailout.

“This is very misleading,” Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt said.

Every spring, the City of Winnipeg mails out a property-tax brochure to every homeowner in an effort to explain property tax bills.

This year’s brochure includes a paragraph about frontage levies, which council voted to hike to $3.75 per frontage foot from $2.55 per frontage foot. It was the first boost to the frontage levy in 10 years.

“This levy is used for upgrading, repair, replacement and maintenance of the city’s street and sidewalk infrastructure,” reads the brochure.

What the brochure does not say is the 2011 operating budget includes less funding for street and sidewalk renewals. While the frontage-levy hike will add $14.4 million to the road-repair budget, the council-approved spending plan calls for a $15.1-million reduction in property tax funding for the same repairs.

In March, when the budget was tabled, Mayor Sam Katz and finance chairman Scott Fielding (St. James) claimed the levy hike would pay for more repairs. But Winnipeg chief financial officer Mike Ruta confirmed that was not the case.

Opposition councillors lambasted Katz and Fielding for claiming to increase road renewals while spending less on them.

Wyatt renewed that charge on Monday, claiming the pamphlet is at best, misleading, and at worst, an abuse of a routine mailout.

“If you read it at face value, it looks like the money going to infrastructure is going up. Ratepayers wouldn’t be blamed for making that assumption, but the fact is, it’s going down,” Wyatt said.

“Residents should be aware this is not an increase for the sake of funding the streets. It was an increase so Sam Katz could balance the budget. It was a tax increase through the back door,” Wyatt added.

City assessor Nelson Karpa rejected the assertion his department’s pamphlet is inaccurate. The statement in the brochure is not serving any political ends, he suggested in a statement.

“The brochure that is enclosed with the realty tax bill always has been to provide information relevant to the tax bill,” Karpa said. “The brochure is not intended to address issues related to the City of Winnipeg operating budget.”

Wyatt, however, claimed the civic administration is being used to propagate a political message.

“This is not the first time this has happened and probably won’t be the last. The public service is no doubt following orders from their political master, being the mayor,” Wyatt said.

Katz’s office said it stands by the administration’s insistence the brochure is
accurate.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-brochure-misleading-wyatt-says-122854004.html

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Council explores ways to pay for crumbling infrastructure

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City officials are digging deep to try and find new ways to fund much-needed infrastructure improvements in Winnipeg. They took a step in the right direction, releasing a long-awaited report on possible funding sources.

Mayor Sam Katz created the Infrastructure Funding Council last year and tasked them with weighing options for addressing the $3.8 billion infrastructure deficit faced by the City of Winnipeg.

A total of 17 recommendations were included in the report that was released by the IFC.
The group considered everything from a municipal sales tax to vehicle registration fees, which are two options Katz said he would definitely not support, because Winnipeg residents are already paying enough in those areas.

“That’s not something I’d be supportive (of),” Katz said, “In fact, I can tell you right now, citizens are being totally ripped off, end of story.”

The report is broken down into three sections: funding options that are within control
of the municipality, options requiring support from the Province, and options requiring support from the Federal government.

The Executive Policy Committee and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities want a permanent transfer from the federal gas tax, one per cent of the existing seven per cent PST dedicated to infrastructure, and a rebate from the PST.

While Katz said the deficit is daunting, he said it isn’t impossible to tackle.
“It’s no secret that our infrastructure has been neglected for decades and we have a huge catch-up to play,” Katz said.

But raising taxes isn’t on the Mayor’s agenda; rather, it’s about getting a greater share of the existing tax money.

http://www.globalwinnipeg.com/Council+explores+ways+crumbling+infrastructure/4805349/story.html

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City finds $14.6M for three projects

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City council found a way to spend an additional $14.6 million on a trio of existing projects and programs without adding a dollar to its 2011 spending plans.

In a series of votes, council increased the size of a tax-incentive program for downtown housing by $10 million, forked over another $3.6 million for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and added another $1 million to a basement flood-proofing program.

But the extra spending won’t affect the city’s capital or operating budgets this year, as the housing money will be financed by future property taxes, the museum funds will eventually flow from Ottawa and the flood-proofing cash is being diverted from another part of the water-and-waste budget.

As a result, Winnipeg’s 16-member council approved all three moves unanimously, although the museum cash was the subject of debate.

The City of Winnipeg has already pledged $20 million for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights: $11.1 million of waived property taxes, $5.1 million of capital funding, $2.5 million in waived lease revenue and $1.1 million of refunded development and permit fees.

Council had approved $3.63 million of additional capital funding, with all of the money coming from Ottawa in the form of “payments in lieu of property taxes” — money federal institutions pay to municipalities instead of property taxes.

To make matters more confusing, the museum won’t receive any of the additional $3.63 million until the city pays back the province $11.1 million — again, using federal money. That’s because the city made its $11.1-million commitment to the museum up front, with the province forking over the cash on the city’s behalf.

Once this $11.1-million loan is paid back to the province and the museum gets its $3.63 million — probably no earlier than 15 years from now — the city will start keeping the money it receives from Ottawa, Katz said.

The financial wrangling is worth it due to the museum’s economic and educational benefits, the mayor said.
Daniel McIntyre Coun. Harvey Smith, however, expressed concern about the national museum’s repeated trips to the financial well.

As well, activist Martin Boroditsky appeared before council to argue grassroots non-profit organizations are struggling to balance their budgets and are more deserving of $3.63 million of public funds.
Katz retorted the issue is a not a matter of funding one organization over another, as the additional cash for the museum is a future consideration.

“It comes from revenue down the road. We’re not writing a cheque tomorrow,” Katz said.
St. Norbert Coun. Justin Swandel used stronger language.

“We should just shut up and get this done,” he said.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-finds-146m-for-three-projects-120847229.html

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Winnipeg considers extending tax incentive for home repairs, renovations

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The City of Winnipeg announced its staff is proposing a continuation of a tax incentive for home renovations in order to encourage residents to upgrade their electrical and plumbing systems.

The Home Renovation Tax Assistance Program (HRTA), which applies to residences that are at least 25 years old with an assessed value of $192,000 or less, has been in place since 2006.

In a report that will go before the city’s Executive Policy Committee on Wednesday, city staff are recommending the amount of the credit be increased by $500 to $750, to a total maximum credit of $2,250.

“Not only does this program support homeowners in undertaking renovations to their homes, it also provides an incentive to update and upgrade essential electrical and plumbing systems, bringing them into compliance with current building codes,” said Deepak Joshi, director of the City of Winnipeg’s planning, property and development department.

http://www.dcnonl.com/article/id43984

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City auditor says report misinterpreted

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The City of Winnipeg’s auditor says a report his department authored regarding special taxes for new homeowners was misinterpreted.

Brian Whiteside said the report on local improvements was meant to identify a potential risk, but not to directly imply that some homeowners may have been double-charged by property developers.

“There was language in the audit report used to identify a potential risk in existing city processes,” he said in a statement on behalf of the audit department.

“However, that wording appears to have been interpreted in a way not consistent with its intended meaning. We did not mean to imply that we had investigated and concluded whether developers had in fact double-charged property owners for land drainage in these cases,” Whiteside said.

The auditor’s report stated concern that Winnipeggers who bought new homes may have been charged twice for basic services: once when they bought their lot and again when they were charged a special tax on their tax bills.

Documentation from a development company and property owners, however, proved otherwise.

The report drew criticism from Mayor Sam Katz who called Whiteside’s findings “inaccurate” and also from B.C.-based North Grassie Properties which owns a chunk of Winnipeg land.

In a separate statement Thursday, Whiteside said the city has chosen to act on the report’s findings.

“City council has accepted the audit report and the Winnipeg Public Service has agreed to implement all nine recommendations contained in the Local Improvements Audit so I am confident that the audit will achieve the results expected,” Whiteside said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2011/03/24/man-audit-response-whiteside.html

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