Tax hike protest draws more than 200
Dane Gibson
Northern News Services
NNSL (July 14/99) - People packed into council chambers Monday night shouting for the removal of mayor and city councillors.
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From the gallery
As hundreds packed into City Hall to challenge council's decision to raise taxes, their voices were heard.
Dan Costache: "I have witnessed so many bloopers in the six years I've been watching this council and Mayor Lovell, if I were you, I would be tempted to resign."
Dale Crouch: "On the one hand, you're saying it's too costly to do business in this city, on the other, you're making it more expensive to do business here."
Mike Byrne: "You are sitting here saying you'll fix everything in the next budget. Where were you in the last budget?"
Garth Wallbridge: "I am offended about the current perceived need to raise taxes. Review the (current) budget as requested."
Job Cusueller: "I'm here to support the people who are vocal about the need for this council to change. If the people don't react, the council won't react."
John Dalton: "If you did not plan for the tax reality of Giant mine, then you did not plan well enough. You abrogated your responsibility for poor planning onto the backs of the taxpayer." |
"This is bad, very bad, almost to the point of being evil," yelled another.
More than 200 citizens came to fire questions at Mayor Dave Lovell and demand a reversal of the vote by city councillors to raise municipal taxes.
"This council may have the legal right to govern this community until the next election, but in my opinion, you have lost the moral right," said former councillor John Dalton.
"I have been here for 30 years and I have never seen an issue as divisive as this. I implore you to do what's right."
Great Slave Helicopters owner Adam Bembridge accused council of stifling Yellowknife business and pointed out how easy it would be to move their $26 million inventory of helicopters and $2 million payroll elsewhere.
As the business community, dads, moms, and mine workers stepped up to the mike to voice their displeasure one after another, the message seemed to get through.
Councillor Blake Lyons, who supported the tax raise with Robert Slaven, Kevin O'Reilly, Ben McDonald, Bob Brooks and Dave Lovell, said it is not too late to revisit this issue.
"There were people (at the council meeting) that I've known for years and have a great respect for," Lyons said.
"They are tolerant people and when they say they're angry, I listen."
Lyons said at the end of the meeting, councillors discussed looking at what city programs and services can be cut or shelved.
"Because a bylaw has been passed and tax notices have been printed and mailed, it would be difficult to rescind the decision," Lyons said.
"The thing that we have to do is say what services and projects have to be cut. We have to find at least $500,000, then we can see about getting that money back to the people of Yellowknife.
"It may not be perfect but it is an attempt to restore the goodwill between the public and government," he added.
He admitted that it may take months to zero in on appropriate cuts but said he thinks many council members seem willing to roll up their sleeves and make it happen.
O'Reilly, though, isn't optimistic that anything can be done before the next budget.
"I think it was a rather confused discussion. There was no motion to reconsider the mill rate increase. The tax notices have gone out so I'm not sure what would have to be done to reconsider the process," O'Reilly said.
When asked if he would support rescinding the decision to raise taxes, he replied: "At this point, no."
"I view the mill rate increase as an interim measure. We'll deal with this in the 2000 budget and that's the place to do it," O'Reilly said.
"We could spend the rest of this year just debating about what programs and services to cut."
Brooks said because of the turnout at the meeting and the comments he heard, they have a better idea of what it is the public really wants.
"Because of the presence people made it seemed like the members (of council) were willing to look at where we can effect some changes," Brooks said.
"One of the things we do know is if we're going to save any money, we have to cut services."
He agrees with O'Reilly that it may be too late in the year to make an immediate change.
"It may be too late but the input from the public will go a long way to setting priorities for the next budget session," Brooks said.
Councillor Ben McDonald was not at the meeting as he was on holiday, boating on the Great Slave Lake.
Mayor Lovell banged his gavel and called for order several times during the meeting. Many of the comments from the public were personal attacks against Lovell, which he weathered silently.
"There were an awful lot of concerned people. It was a broad based group from right across the community," Lovell said.
"They had points to make and they made them well. The decision to raise taxes I don't think we had much choice on. During the next budget period, we'll be looking at where we can cut costs."
