TAXES

The City lost several big employers and businesses in the past decade. The old Barnet Hotel site is sitting vacant for years. Andres Wines is now occupied by temporary tenants building the Evergreen Line. In the past three years, many buildings and light industries along Spring St. have been demolished. We are losing our business tax base.

A recent report shows that nearly 33% of our taxes are collected from businesses. In Burnaby that number is 52%. More than half of Burnaby's revenues are from a strong business tax base. 

We have two choices to grow our tax base.

1. Build condo towers. Sure the city would collect more money but we would also have to expand our recreation centre, run more programs, provide services to more people and hire more police officers just to keep up with population growth. For some of our services, we have no room to expand, so service levels would drop. Roads would be so congested that people would avoid Moody Centre.
2. Build businesses and jobs. Growing our business tax base would generate more revenues with minimum demand for new services.  

Growing our business tax base will make us a wealthier community. New revenues from business taxes is the better choice.

I asked PMPD's Chief Constable: "How many calls did you get from the Newport Village and Suter Brook office buildings in the past 12 months?"  He paused for a moment and said... "I can't think of any."  By contrast, residential growth brings with it family disturbances, noise complaints, drug deals in parkades and crime. And that means more police officers. Residential growth places a much heavier toll on all municipal services.