King tries to hold user-fee increases to 2.5-3 per cent for 2017

YorkRegion.com
Oct. 4, 2016
Tim Kelly

The tug of war over King Township’s proposed user fee increases is not going away.

As in August, when user-fee increases for 2017 were initially proposed in the 7 to 7.5 per cent range, in the latest go-round of fee proposals staff came up with lower increases, but still not low enough for Mayor Steve Pellegrini.

“I’ve asked respectfully for a 2.5-per cent increase to user fees. You’ve (staff) come here with three (per cent), some are even higher,” said Pellegrini at a late September township council meeting. The mayor was especially rankled by the proposal to jack up public-skating user fees from $2 to $3 to go for a spin at a township-owned rink.

“I know $3 is not a lot, but that’s a 50-per cent increase,” complained Pellegrini.

Staff, who asked council for authority to approach King Township’s user groups with the revised user-fee rates, have pointed to skyrocketing hydro rates as the chief culprit for user-fee increases. Treasurer Allan Evelyn said in August that utility costs are going up “eight to 12 per cent annually” and they are the main driver of fee increases.

In a report to council, staff revealed that a 3-per cent increase in ice user rates would lead to an $823,501 operating deficit at the township’s three arena facilities. That’s an increase on the $616,000 projected deficit for the Trisan Centre, Nobleton Arena and King City Arena for 2016.

It was also explained in the staff report that King Township’s 2016 prime-time ice rate of $238.94 per hour of use was nearly the exact average of all York Region municipal prime-time rates ($237.02) while the non prime-time rate in King at $119.47 per hour is well below the average for the region’s nine municipalities ($140.28).

The report reflected a suggestion by the mayor that, instead of a tax increase or major user-fee increase, staff could, “explore changing operating hours and the reduction of services where there is marginal demand by clients.”

After discussion between councillors and staff, it was agreed staff would hold increases to 2.5 to 3 per cent and present the fees to local user groups. The fee schedule will come back to council next month for final approval for the 2017 budget.