TEAM on city finances: tax increases held to inflation and a full budget review
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would limit property tax increases to inflation, stop City spending on provincial and federal duties, review the operating and capital budgets service by service, and give Council and the public more say over department budgets.
NEIGHBOURHOODS AND CITY HALL
Finance and Administration: what the Our Positions says
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver argues that the city has raised property taxes and fees beyond what residents can afford while taking on jobs that belong to the provincial and federal governments. On its Finance and Administration pages the party says the operating budget has almost doubled in a decade. It calls its answer the "Services. Stability. Safety. Guarantee": spend first on core services such as police, fire, public works, utilities, parks and libraries.
The main tax promise is to hold increases to inflation, the party's summary page says, while the longer page speaks of limiting increases to what is needed to keep services at levels the community has agreed to. TEAM would also stop spending city money on provincial or federal responsibilities while pressing those governments to pay for the services they owe.
Several items change how the budget is made. TEAM would review the operating budget, which pays for daily services, and the capital budget, which pays for buildings and infrastructure. The review would show where costs grew over ten years, sort essential services from optional ones, and set benchmarks for value. Departments would write yearly service plans with targets. Council and the public would get to review and approve department budgets. The party would also use savings found by Vancouver's Auditor General, the office that checks how well the city spends its money.
Council sets the property tax rate and approves both budgets each year, so most of this is in its hands. The municipal finance reform the party wants to continue is a joint review by the Province and the Union of BC Municipalities, the group that represents local governments, so the city is one voice among many there.
11 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Limit tax increases to inflation
TEAM would limit property tax increases to inflation, its summary page says, to keep municipal services at levels agreed to by voters. The longer page describes this as limiting increases to what is necessary to maintain services at levels agreed to by the community.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the property tax rate every year.
Stop paying for provincial and federal responsibilities
The party would stop spending City funds on what it calls clearly provincial or federal responsibilities, while holding those governments to account for funding required services.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council decides what the city budget pays for, though it can only ask other governments to fund their own services.
Focus spending on core services
TEAM would improve access to core city services and amenities by reducing spending on administration and non-core services, and would look at services outside the City's core mandate only after core programs are efficient and effective.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the operating budget and decides which services to fund.
More transparent budget process with a voice for residents
The party would increase transparency in the budget process and give residents a meaningful voice on spending decisions.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council controls how its budget is prepared and consulted on.
Use savings identified by the Auditor General
TEAM would act on service delivery proposals and spending efficiencies identified by Vancouver's Auditor General.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council decides whether to act on the Auditor General's reports.
Auditor General support for Council oversight
The party would make sure the Office of the Auditor General supports Council's oversight of how efficient and effective the City's administration and finances are.
- Who has the power
- City Council The Auditor General reports to Council, which can set the office's priorities.
Annual service plans with performance benchmarks
TEAM would have each department develop annual service plans with performance benchmarks and hold management accountable for meeting them.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council directs the city manager and can require service plans from departments.
Review the City's financial structure and policies
The party would review the City's financial structure and policies to make sure they follow best practices and are transparent for citizens.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the city's financial policies.
Line-by-line review of the operating and capital budgets
TEAM would conduct a thorough, line-by-line review of the operating and capital budgets to (a) document where service costs have risen over the last decade and why, (b) decide which services are essential and set benchmarks for cost and value for money, and (c) decide which services are supplementary, write a purpose statement for each, and make sure each brings a direct benefit to Vancouver residents.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves both budgets and can order a review of them.
Council and public review of department budgets
The party would change the budget process so Council and the public can review and set priorities within the operating and capital budgets, including reviewing and approving departmental budgets, service plans and performance benchmarks.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets its own budget process.
Continue municipal finance reform with the Province
TEAM would continue the Long-Term Financial Sustainability and Municipal Finance Reform initiative, which the party describes as the joint review by the Union of BC Municipalities and the provincial government of new ways to fund municipal services and ease the pressure on property taxes.
- Who has the power
- City, with others New ways to fund cities need provincial law, so Vancouver can take part in the review but the Province decides.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about finance and administration
How much would TEAM for a Livable Vancouver raise property taxes?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver's summary page says it would limit tax increases to inflation to keep services at levels agreed to by voters, and its longer page speaks of limiting increases to what is needed to maintain those services (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
What is TEAM's Services. Stability. Safety. Guarantee?
It is the name TEAM gives to its finance pledge. The party says it would improve core services while limiting tax increases, reducing spending on administration and non-core services, and bringing stability, transparency and competency to the budget (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
How would TEAM review the Vancouver city budget?
TEAM says it would review the operating and capital budgets line by line to find where service costs rose over the last decade and why. It would sort services into essential ones, with cost benchmarks, and supplementary ones, each with a purpose statement and a direct benefit to residents (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
Does TEAM want Vancouver to stop funding provincial services?
Yes. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says the City should stop spending its funds on what it calls clearly provincial or federal responsibilities, and should hold those governments to account for funding the services they owe (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
What role would the Auditor General have under TEAM?
TEAM says it would make sure Vancouver's Auditor General supports Council's oversight of the city's administration and finances, and would act on the savings and service ideas the Auditor General identifies (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
Who decides Vancouver's property tax rate?
City Council sets the property tax rate each year and approves the operating and capital budgets, so TEAM's tax and budget promises would need a majority of Council. New sources of city revenue would need the Province (TEAM Finance and Administration page).
ON THE BALLOT
The TEAM for a Livable Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- TEAM finance and administration, learn more SAYS SO ITSELFTEAM for a Livable Vancouver · checked