Sustainable Unconditional Funding

WHEREAS municipalities and regional districts throughout British Columbia are coming under increasing pressure to assume new roles in areas of social, environmental and economic responsibilities; AND WHEREAS senior levels of government are reducing funding in specific programs in the areas of social, environmental and economic responsibilities that cause local governments to come under increasing pressure from its constituents; AND WHEREAS local infrastructure is falling behind in its maintenance, and replacement, as local governments are reluctant to increase taxation while senior governments are enjoying budget surpluses; AND WHEREAS many local governments cannot develop long term plans and sustainable solutions as their vital projects are entirely dependent upon receiving non-recurring senior governments grants; AND WHEREAS a totally new level of taxation for local government would be required to fund the infrastructure needs and the new social, environmental and economic role responsibilities: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities lobby the federal and provincial governments to help local governments address the social, environmental and economic inequities; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities work with senior government to establish sustainable unconditional funding for infrastructure repair and maintenance.