AN UPPER DECK VIEW OF THE PRINCE
RUPERT CRUISE DOCK MEETING JANUARY 8TH 2003
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15.5M$ Costs adjusted to 12M$ over 2 phases Questions--impact to the city's infrastructure Implementation dates? Commitments |
The news is out,
Prince Rupert is on its way going forward with its new cruise ship
facility. The joint meeting held at the
performing arts centre was attended by more than 100 plus people. The general
flavor of the evening was to go forward with the project. Most speakers came forward lauding the
possibilities of economic prosperity by this venture. Some suggested legitimate concerns of the project itself but they
were loosely put forward and in many cases the responses were vague at
best. There is some doubt even in my
mind that the results of the cruise industry potential for long-term growth are
over stated and the effects possibly undesirable to Prince Rupert
residents. However the economic figures
presented by Mr. Don Krusel from the Ports Corp. were of a conservative nature
and if correct suggested a promising outcome in the long-term.
Prince Rupert
resident taxpayers should be clear on the overall cost of this project. It was first determined that there would
need to be a $15.5 million available to do the job. That price tag was too high for the three groups involved so they
had the project re-adjusted and it came back with a cost of $12 million. Through fundraising guarantees and economic
design the city and its partners were only able to come up with a final mark of
$9 million to invest in the project.
Therefore the project was adjusted to be done in phases of 1 2 and
3. The first phase would be the $9
million expenditure, the second phase would cost an additional $3 million
approximately and should the time and funding be available the third phase
would be adopted and money would be raised then spent on the completion of the
project.
Myself and perhaps
three other individuals addressed more basic concerns. These concerns focused
on the impact to the city's infrastructure and ability to deliver un-affected
services with the ear marked expenditure of this $3 million going to this
project, knowing at this time that economic conditions show the taxation levels
are in question which would fuel this project.
The previous
mayor/council and administration months earlier presented their five-year
budget plan for 2002 to 2006. In those
years taxes were to increase by .03 percent in 2002, 2.56 percent in 2003, 2.5
percent in 2004, 2.96 percent in year 2005, and point .28 percent in 2006. The forecast was to include the $3 million
through this five-year plan within these budget increases from 2002 to 2006.
The concern I
raised was that these figures were based on the ability of the city to maintain
and collect taxes when our situation then included working people at our
working pulp mill, local saw mill, and McMillan fish cannery for example. The
groups just mentioned contribute a considerable part of our economic pie. I raised this point with acting
administrator Corinne Speaker to get clarity on the ability for the city to go
forward with this project and maintain our operations at this time considering
revenue is at a shortfall. There was no
clear answer from her or any other people present including the mayor. (Mayor
Pond did say however there was no plan to reduce services) Ms. Speaker only spoke of the benefits of
the project over 10 years, which would offer undetermined revenue back to the
community for this 3 million dollar plus expenditure.
I fully understood
their long-term goals and gave credit to their presentation, but that was not
my point. I continued stating that it
was only fair to all taxpayers and residents of Prince Rupert that the city
come clean and clear if there is going to be an additional cost from cost
increases to municipal taxes during the 2002 2006 years and beyond as a result
of this project. Finally I suggested to
them that for more than a decade, the deferral of infrastructure needs on a
grand case within our community has taken place.
I wanted everyone
to understand that they had no implementation dates for those infrastructure
projects needs within the 10 years going forward, but only an understanding
that they would look at these issues at a later date. I believe the citizens of Prince Rupert deserve better
accountability, that is not to say that this is a negative position on this
project but having said that, the city and its representatives have not been
financially and fundamentally clear on the cost and impact of this project to
the community and its taxpayers. It
will take several years possibly before any fruits from this project start to
materialize where extra income regarding tax revenue comes to city coffers.
It appears this
council like their predecessor has chosen to operate everyday operations by
crises management, rather than truthfully calculating their finances to
accommodate necessary infrastructure and community needs. Our city representatives further need to be
more cognizant from the continual federal, provincial, and other forms of
downloading onto our local community.
They failed to factor in any of these concerns, along with their
negative cause and effects on our community in their presentation last evening
at the performing arts centre.
That's my story the way I see it so far…