Studio: 403-488-1021
Text: CJCY + Message to 54500
Still Concerns About 2012 Fee's And Charges
The major issues identified at Wednesday's D&I meeting dealt with some new fees, including land use bylaw amendments and the cost to have pre-and-post-application development meetings with the city.
Businesses and developers have once again voiced concerns about some of the proposed Development and Infrastructure (D&I) fees and charges for 2012. The major issues identified at Wednesday's D&I meeting dealt with some new fees. Those included land use bylaw amendments and the cost to have pre-and-post-application development meetings with the city.
However, there were no arguments about staff's latest fee schedule revision, which sees most increases coming in at less than 3%. Abdul Khan, D&I Commissioner, says that will keep Medicine Hat's cost of service low. "We have the lowest cost in Alberta when you take everything into account together," says Khan. "On one item we may be a little bit higher, but on most items were are by far the lowest in Alberta."
The latest revision to the fees and charges features less of an "everyone pays the same fee" to more of a "user pay" formula. It would see higher fees, and/or penalties, aimed more at those who require a higher level of service. Khan says that would be less than 5% of the city's customers, but if they're charged according to the amount of work they create, the other 95% don't need to share in that cost.
Copyright 2011 CJCY-FM/Clear Sky Radio
Inc. All rights reserved. Copying, publishing or distributing without
express written permission is strictly prohibited.