Port Moody considers higher fees for Anmore & Belcarra residents
Posted on | March 3, 2009 |
Port Moody considers higher fees for Anmore & Belcarra residents
Some interesting background from the City of Port Moddy’s website.
Port Moody is considering higher fees for Anmore & Belcarra residents using its recreation facilities and programs.
Why does Port Moody want to charge higher fees to Anmore & Belcarra residents?
* Council’s preference was not to charge higher user fees.
What was Port Moody’s preferred solution?
* Port Moody Council invited Anmore & Belcarra to enter into a partnership.
What would a partnership with Port Moody look like?
* Port Moody is open to shared governance.
* Port Moody proposed a joint Parks & Recreation Commission that would set recreation policies, plans and rates.
* Port Moody Council was willing to consider various models of shared revenues and expenses.
Are other municipalities doing this?
* Port Moody researched several models and gave sample agreements to Anmore & Belcarra Councils.
* Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows formed the Ridge Meadows Parks & Recreation Commission.
* North Vancouver District and the City of North Vancouver jointly operate a recreation Commission.
* Port Moody pays Coquitlam (city to city payment vs user fees) for the use of Coquitlam’s animal shelter.
* Typical formulas for dividing revenues and expenses are per capita and/or per property assessment value.
Why did negotiations between Port Moody and Anmore & Belcarra fail?
* Anmore & Belcarra told Port Moody that they were not interested in discussing the joint governance of parks & recreation facilities and services.
* Anmore & Belcarra said their preference was for their residents to pay user fees.
Why should Anmore & Belcarra residents pay more?
* Port Moody’s recreation facilities were built at Port Moody taxpayers’ expense.
* Port Moody taxpayers are spending $27.5 million on the Recreation Centre expansion and renovation.
* Port Moody recreation programs are subsidized by all Port Moody taxpayers.
* Without that subsidy, a $44 child swim pass, would cost $117.
How does the subsidy of programs work?
* In most BC cities, all taxpayers pay for recreation services as part of their property taxes.
* All Port Moody taxpayers contribute to recreation services, whether they use the facility or not.
* The remainder of the costs of the programs and services is paid through user fees.
* Currently, Anmore & Belcarra residents only pay the user fee, so Port Moody taxpayers subsidize the difference.
How will this impact sports groups?
* It is proposed that discounted rates apply only to Port Moody residents.
* Higher user fees for Anmore & Belcarra participants in sports groups is not Port Moody’s choice.
* Port Moody participants already pay more, because they also pay through their property taxes.
Why not charge more to Coquitlam residents as well?
* Both Coquitlam and Port Moody have libraries, swimming pools, arenas, soccer fields, etc.
* Port Moody and Coquitlam offer reciprocal access to each other’s many facilities and programs.
Is it legal to charge higher non-resident fees?
* Yes. Differential fees (non-resident, non-member) are widely used.
* Parking at some Coquitlam facilities is free for their residents and at a cost for non-residents.
* Port Moody has charged a higher non-resident price for some of its unique services for years.
Were Port Moody’s decisions discussed in public?
* Yes. The media was in attendance and covered the debate and decisions in local newspapers.
Could this be stopped if the villages wanted to negotiate a partnership? Option: Could the user fee be stopped if the Villages wanted to negotiate a partnership?
* Yes, but it will take some time. After Port Moody starts the new fees, a period of six months will be required to discontinue them.
* Port Moody recreation staff would have to change posted rates and adjust all program brochures that are designed and printed in advance for each season.
Comments
Leave a Reply
