King Township proposes 7 per cent higher user fees for 2017

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 30, 2016
By Tim Kelly

User fee hikes proposed by King Township staff for 2017, like those for ice-time at local facilities that would average over seven per cent during the hockey season, are being sent back by council for another look.

A first look at a proposed user fee hike for ice and ball field groups drew cries of “sticker shock” from some members of King Township council Monday night.

Propelled by skyrocketing energy costs, Township staff recommended hikes of seven to 7.5 per cent for ice-time rentals and ball diamond use for the 2017 season.

That’s just not on, said Mayor Steve Pellegrini, who asked that staff take the report back for further review.

“These are over five per cent. There’s just no way I’m going to support this,” said Pellegrini.

“We want to encourage a healthy active lifestyle and kids won’t even be able to play sports ... I want staff to have a discussion with all the groups and come up with a better strategy. If you’re looking for a number, 2.5 per cent (increase),” he said.

Some of the proposed user-fee increases include prime-time ice rates going up from $238.94 to $256.64 per hour, a 7.4 per cent increase; non prime-time ice rates increasing from $119.47 to $128.32 per hour, also a 7.4 per cent jump; summer ice rentals going from $123.89 to $128.32 per hour, a 3.6 per cent climb; and hydro costs for baseball diamonds rising from $13.71 to $14.69 for two hours, a 7.15 per cent increase.

Township finance director Allan Evelyn pointed out utility costs are going up eight to 12 per cent annually and said they were the major driver of increased user fees.

“It’s difficult for us to absorb those costs when we’re fixing the user-fee increase to a 2.5 per cent increase. We’ve got to examine other ways to find efficiencies. I don’t think it’s as easy as saying 2-point whatever,” Evelyn told the mayor.

However, Councillor Bill Cober said he could see Pellegrini’s point while conceding, “the high energy costs we all are suffering through. It’s really sober sticker shock to all of us to see the hydro rates in the province of Ontario and here it is in the increase in user fees,” he said.