With an election campaign underway, the Cities of New Brunswick Association has released a list of ideas they say will strengthen the province and its cities.
The association unveiled the list during a news conference in Saint John on Tuesday morning.
One of the suggestions is to implement “fair and equitable” property tax reform in the province.
Edmundston Mayor Cyrille Simard said regional service costs are a big problem for cities.
“Over the last decade, our cities have experienced increased service delivery costs while neighbouring communities and local service districts have been paying significantly less and enjoying many of the same services,” Simard said.
They want the province to implement fair property tax, change provincial arbitration legislation for police and fire, allow municipalities to generate non-tax revenue, have the ability for hotel levies, and have a municipal share of cannabis revenue.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) August 28, 2018
Simard said other key property tax issues are big business tax breaks and the double taxation of apartment buildings.
The association is also calling for the regionalization of key services, and Campbellton Mayor Stéphanie Anglehart-Paulin said they believe it can provide better services at a better overall price to all citizens.
“Regionalization can be successful in lowering costs and increasing efficiencies, increased purchasing power allowing for higher-end acquisitions, make professional staff from larger jurisdictions available for all technical assistance, and increase citizen satisfaction,” she said.
The cities are also calling on the province to bring forward a new arbitration process for police and fire services, specifically asking the province to look at final offer selection, government employed arbitrators, and right to strike with essential worker designation.
#SaintJohn Mayor Don Darling now talking about arbitration for police and fire. He says they value the work of these employees, but the current arbitration process doesn’t consider taxpayer affordability. pic.twitter.com/VLDE1nbUU9
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) August 28, 2018
Saint John Mayor Don Darling said the current system of provincially mandated interest arbitration is causing challenges for cities.
“Slow and expensive arbitration processes, a lack of incentive to openly bargain, and a lack of consideration of taxpayer affordability, amongst many other issues,” he said.
Darling said they need to ensure essential services are properly funded without having to significantly raise taxes.
The cities also want a cut of cannabis revenue, as well as the ability to bring in hotel levies and generate new types of revenue not dependent on taxpayers.
