Policing Costs

WHEREAS the Province of BC has determined that electoral areas and municipalities under a population of 5,000 will contribute towards the cost of rural police financing beginning in 2007, as stated by the Solicitor General at the 2003 UBCM Convention; AND WHEREAS the UBCM has committed to working with the Ministry and the RCMP to establish a committee and develop a best practice guide to ensure input from small communities and rural areas in the delivery of local police services: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that any tax to be levied be negotiated by UBCM with the Province of BC based on the following principles: a That any formula implemented to recover policing costs be based on the principle of fairness and equity, in which all regional districts are treated equally and contribute to policing by paying their share based upon the service provided and not through an ability to pay formula; b That any tax to be implemented by the Province to cover policing costs be identified as a provincial policing cost tax and not a regional district tax for the purpose of collection; c That community policing remain the responsibility of the Province but that a formal mechanism be developed for local government, municipalities and electoral areas to act in an advisory capacity on policing issues affecting local communities; and d That the Provincial Rural Tax levied on the Rural Property Tax Notice be acknowledged as part of any electoral area tax contribution for community policing in each regional district.