Nanaimo 2013 Surplus $3.9 Million Not $3.2

Can you find the REAL 2013 Tax Surplus?

If you think that by reading the headlines in the newspaper or the highlights on a council agenda will tell you how much you have really been over-taxed, you would be wrong.

Misleading Headline?

The headline on the front page of the local Daily and a few lines in the agenda from Monday March 24th Nanaimo city council meeting, would lead the average person to think the city had collected $3.2 million in surplus taxes last year.

RIght??

When I read the agenda for that council meeting the wording of a staff report tweaked my curiosity, it read in part:

"unallocated surplus is used to fund accruals or reserves for liability claims, uncollected taxes, bad debts and retirement benefits as needed AND $3.2 million remains for FURTHER reserve allocation".

I sent an email to Mr. Clemens, the Director of Finance for a clarification as it seemed the 'real' surplus for 2013 was greater than $3.2 million. Mr. Clemens reply confirmed by suspicion with the statement that the surplus was in fact 'approximately $3.9 million'.

Why Do Taxpayers and City Council Allow This Robbery??

Granted, robbery may be too harsh a word, or perhaps it is not harsh enough to describe what happens with city staff and city council's endorsement.

Last year in the city of Nanaimo with the blessing of this city council and city staff, the Nanaimo taxpayer paid nearly $4,000,000.00 in EXCESS TAXES to the city of Nanaimo, which is not being returned!

Being OVER TAXED by nearly $4,000,000.00 which equates to a tax increase of nearly 4.5% is bad enough but then it seems city hall can play the old shell game and claim that $3.9 million is really only $3.2 million.

Change of Council is long past due!

This is the sixth year of John Ruttans occupation of the 'big chair' on city council. It is at least the 6th year for many other council members and they seem to think that over taxing the Nanaimo taxpayer is just business as usual.

Worse still, is the fact that council seems complicit in this little shell game which accompanies the 'tax and spend' mentality that is prevalent with this city council

TIME FOR A REAL CHANGE ON NANAIMO CITY COUNCIL?