10 — Wednesday, September 16, 1992 - North Shore News

Parking tax to hit retailers hard |,

Bill 51 will do more harm than good, industry representatives say

ACCORDING TO. the
Retail Industry of British
Columbia a bili passed by
‘the “provincial government
‘to. reduce the annual B.C.
Transit deficit through a
non-resident parking tax
will further erode the
declining retail industry.

‘By A.P. McCredie
‘News Reporter.

es ain 51, passed into law July 3,
éalis: for a taxon non-residential
‘parking spaces’ within ‘the Greater

The :-purpose
erty owners is ic reduce. the :
iCz.-Transit deficit (estimated at’.
$28.5 maillion in 1991), and to
romote- the use of the transit
‘system’ over the prix ate
automobile...

A‘ similar tax is currently ‘being ;

‘used in metropolitan Toronto.

dent Brian Lees.

Lees added that the tenants, in
turn, wovld adjust the prices of
their goods and services to absorb
the increased rent cost, thus the

consumer would be the one pick-

ing up the brunt cf the new tax.

“It can be expécted that
marginal privately operated park-
ing facilities will be closed, adding
to the parking deficiency, while
municipal parking operations will
have greater difficulty remaining
self-sufficient,’’ Lees said.’

‘In beth cases, layoffs will oc-
~ cur, leading to aot only increased
“unemployment and welfare. roils,
but. also labor unrest within the
unionized companies.’’

.North Vancouver District

a -Mayor’ Murray Dykeman, -a

member, ef the Vancouver
Regional: Transit: Commission,

But’ many,:busiaess owners in :-}

many... retail, busi
fi toed to ‘close, a buitte fare

ry”
fnductyy ft B.C. states

The law ‘allows ‘mun palities to

impose ‘a tax” on- non-fesidentia!

property ‘ewsers” based’ on the |

Ssquare-footage of on-strest and
ff-street’ stalls . serving corner
‘stores, “shopping malls, . offices;
‘schools, churches, clinics, hospi-
als, © recreational facilities and

, Call wday to receive your com-
. plimenti ry. bookict.

Seacthcacas

rntedarensinent adece sere 192

* Bruce A Hawkshaw
City Clerk -

agrees that the tax could do
substantia! damage to the small
business sector, but he says the
ever-increasing transit deficit must
be brought under control.

“If something is not done soon,
in three years’ time we could be
looking at a $65 million deficit,”
Dykeman said.

He added that ‘*! haven't come
to a decision yet (on the parking

" tax), but it is quite clear that we

must come up with an equitabl:
way of dealing with the deficit.”’

The mayor said alternative
sources to fight the deficit must be
addressed.

“In the city of Paris, they have
a payroll tax, where part of every
working person’s pay goes to the
operation of the transit system,”
said Dykenian

Lees proposes the B.C. Transit

ith _
ee .

shortfall be paid off by
automobile users. ;
“If the purpose of Bill.51 is to
raise funds for transit. and
motivate people co favor public

transit over the automobile, then ||

it is automobile use, and no:
parking, that should be target
he said.

Since there are over one million -
registered vehicles in the area,
Lees suggests a £28 increase in
registration fees to cover the $28
million deficit.

Vancouver City estimates that it
will cost at least $1.5 million to
collect the surtax for 1992. ”

The Vancouver Regional Transit
Commission is holding a special -
Oct. 7 meeting on parking taxes.

Dykeman said a decision by the
commission should be ‘handed
down by December.

* 3. Additional 1 proof iof residence for non-owned vehicles.
"Company, lease etc.) i.e. current bill, hydro, Phone.

encouraged to ‘Contact the "Bylaw Clerk at 985-761, Local 300, 8:30 a.m. to 4: 30 P
for further information. . a :