Councillor's Emphasis On Growing Tax Arrears Sets Off Mayor

What is seen by some as a usually mundane, a review of the City’s quarterly reports, exploded into a full out exchange at Monday evening’s regular meeting of Moose Jaw City Council and it was the subject of growing tax arrears which set it all off.

During the review of the Quarterly Reports Councillor Brian Swanson brought up the issue of growing tax arrears which set off “a lecture” from Mayor Fraser Tolmie.

Councillor Swanson asked the question if there was any reason for the drop in tax arrears payment plans and if it was unusual.

Finance director Brian Acker said there was nothing out of the normal for the arrears payment plan statistics.

“In terms of actual payment plans it is fairly consistent,” Acker said, adding “a number of (payment) plans with significant amount of dollars that have been paid off.”

Tax arrears in payment plans have decreased from $1,395,050 on March 31, 2018 to $1,084,406 on March 31, 2019. On March 31, 208 tax arrears in payment plans were $1,020,333.

Councillor Swanson then commented on the actual growing level of tax arrears - arrears which have grown approximately 250 percent in the last five years. He said in 2014 tax arrears were approximately $1 million and now in 2019 they had grown to $2.5 million.

According to the Quarterly Reports the amount of tax arrears owing has grown by over 25 percent in a three year time span for the same time period. On March 31, 2017 the amount of tax arrears was $1.765,651 and grew to $2,195,054 on March 31, 2018 and to $2,447,633 on March 31, 2019. In the three year period - from March 31, 2017 to March 31, 2019 - tax arrears had grown by $681,982.

He criticized Council for not doing enough to combat it.

SOURCE - City of Moose Jaw Quarterly Reports

“The lack of effect that is having on us as elected officials…it is pretty thin gruel when you look at the statistical reality,” he said.”

Councillor Swanson went on to state the growing property tax burden was soon to lead to “a day of reckoning.”

In response Mayor Fraser Tolmie entered the fray and went after Councillor Swanson for a lack of a plan to correct the situation.

“You can continue to perpetuate that statistic, or you can do things like what we’ve done today, which is approve the largest land deal in the city Moose Jaw’s history,” Mayor Tolmie stated, adding there had never been a plan from Councillor Swanson.

The Mayor continued to chastise the Councillor adding he was keeping “the people of Moose Jaw oppressed.”

“Everytime it comes up it is the same thing…what is your plan to change it?” the Mayor asked.

Councillor Swanson mentioned he had asked for changes during Budget Committee but those changes were not acted upon. During Budget Committee Councillor Swanson made a motion to look at the impact of an 8 percent cut in the operating budget. The motion passed but the actual discussion was done in-camera.

SEE RELATED - The Eight Percent Haircut

“I guess Mayor Tolmie thinks it’s within his fiefdom to chastise me…all I’m doing is pointing out a statistical reality that I think we’re ignoring,” Councillor Swanson stated.

He went on to state it was “easy” for the Mayor to make his statements.

“No, no its not easy to say that it takes courage to bring change,” the Mayor replied, adding Councillor Swanson had brought nothing forward to create change.

“(At the) DFFH (Downtown Facility and Field House) you never spent any money. It is suppose to be an economic driver for the City of Moose Jaw,” Mayor Tolmie said.

Earler in the evening Councillor Swanson had made points regarding the $500,000 surplus the DFFH reported at their AGM and the real reason for it. SEE RELATED - Rhino’s Ramblings - The Lecture

At this point in the pointed discussion Councillor Swanson called a point of order stating “I don’t have to listen to a lecture.”

The exchange ended with Mayor Tolmie stating he had nothing more to add to his remarks anyhow.