Powell River mainland area governments will discuss what three Powell River Regional District electoral areas are prepared to take to referendum regarding Powell River Recreation Complex operating costs at a community forum in May.
The forum, called C3, brings together representatives from City of Powell River, the regional district and Tla’amin Nation.
“If we put an offer on the table and it's accepted, then we'll go to referendum with that offer,” said Electoral Area A director and regional district chair Patrick Brabazon.
Electoral areas A, B and C, and Tla’amin have been asked by the city to share the annual net operating cost for the recreation complex of approximately $2.3 million, which is currently paid for entirely out of the city budget.
The city has asked the regional district for approximately $500,000 in annual funding. Tla’amin would contribute approximately $100,000 under the cost-sharing model.
At the regional district’s committee of the whole meeting on March 8, Brabazon, Electoral Area B alternate director Alan Rebane, and Electoral Area C director Colin Palmer indicated that if a referendum is held, it will likely be on the ballot for the October 2018 general election. Only residents in the three electoral areas will be eligible to vote on the question.
Palmer said he has seen different sets of figures that estimated tax increases on an average home with an assessed property value of $350,000 would range between approximately $60 in Electoral Area A, $234 in Electoral Area B and $155 in Electoral Area C.
“On my own home, in one set of numbers I would pay an extra $310 a year just like that,” said Palmer.
Regional district chief administrative officer Al Radke said if the referendum is put to the three electoral area voters as one question, the tax increase will be a blended total of approximately $30 per $100,000 of assessed residential value.
Rebane said he is “100 per cent” in favour of the regional district paying a share of recreation complex costs.
Palmer said electoral areas have never decided they will not contribute to operating the recreation facility.
“At no point have we said as three electoral areas that we will not pay anything for the complex,” said Palmer. “I don't recall in any meeting that we've ever sat down and said [the city] has to make some cuts to the complex before we contribute.”
