WHEREAS the federal government allocated, in the 2003 Federal Budget, 3 billion for a 10-year, long-term infrastructure program; AND WHEREAS present infrastructure programs require federal, provincial and local governments to share project costs equally; AND WHEREAS this formula does not take into consideration local governments ability to pay: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that 10 of the 1 billion allocated to small and rural communities out of the 3 billion set aside by the federal government for infrastructure projects be directed to a Small Communities Ability-to-Pay Fund, established to assist local governments of small communities whose residential assessment is greater than 50 of total assessment and whose population is less than 5,000; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that funding grant amounts for communities qualifying for assistance recognize the ratio of total residential assessment to total assessment and be determined according to the following formula, up to a maximum of 500,000.00: Total Residential Assessment x 13 Project Costs Grant Amount Total Assessment
