An initiative for a permissive tax exemption for Myrtle Point Golf Club was defeated by qathet Regional Board.
At the Thursday, October 24, regional board meeting, directors turned down a motion to grant a permissive tax exemption to the golf club for the land classified as recreation/non-profit for the 2020 year only. A permissive tax exemption would waive the property taxes payable to qathet Regional District in the 2020 year.
During discussion on the motion, Electoral Area C director Clay Brander said he was going to vote against the motion.
“I don’t think the tax exemption should be assumed,” said Brander. “If they have the need to pay the tax I think they should pay it.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he believes Myrtle Point Golf Course provides a great deal of value for the community.
“The golf course is a big part of resident attraction,” he said. “While it is not as popular with young people, this is a retirement community. People have agreed to move to town because the town has the golf course. I do believe we should be supporting it.”
However, Gisborne said it should be supported through a specific service such as grant-in-aid or the economic development budget, not permissive tax exemption.
He said he was thinking that in November, he will bring forward a motion that the regional district has a policy that says it does not grant permissive tax exemptions.
“If you want money, the correct avenue is to come through grant-in-aid or economic development,” said Gisborne. “As such, I will be voting against this motion because I don’t think supporting it should be done through a permissive tax exemption.”
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall also said he does not believe permissive tax exemptions are the appropriate tool for the regional district to use to fund local societies except in urgent and exceptional circumstances.
He said he believes the regional district needs to provide clarity to local societies that have property on when they should apply for a grant-in-aid and when they should request a permissive tax exemption.
“I will not support this motion but I urge the golf club to request funding via grant-in-aid in the future,” said Fall.
The motion was defeated.
