Councillors to
ponder an 6%
raise in taxes

By Maureen Curtis
Contributing Writer
WEST Vancouver’s
almost brand new
council is facing the
unpleasant prospect of
having to tack a hefty
increase ($200 for the
average taxpayer) onto
the municipal tax bill
— or attack their bud-
get with a pair of prun-
ing shears,

Downloading from the
rovincial government, com-
ined with unavoidable infla-
tionary budget increases,
leaves West Vancouver District
Council with the prospect of
an 8% increase in taxes.

“We would consider that
unacceptable,” Mayor Pat
Boname stated, Thursday.
The tax increase must be teni-
pered with some combination
of service and administrative
cuts, plus user fees.

Even before the bad news
came from the provincial gov-
ernment, West. Vancouver was
looking at a 1.5 % increase in
taxes (for the average taxpay-
er) as a result of lost interest
income, added GVRD charges
for sewer and water, contin-
gencies and rising fuel costs.

Now, like other B.C.
municipalities, West

BEDDING

| AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR §

C2) >

SIMMONS

© Mattresses, Box Springs
& Bed Frames
* Sofa Beds & Roll Away Cots
© Quilts, Pillows & Pads
© Mest sizes in stock for
immediate delivery
® Ask about our FREE delivery,

CHECK US OUT
_.W HUGE SELECTION
v LOW WAREHOUSE
PRICES

COLONY}

HOME FURNISHINGS §

1075 Roosevelt Crescent
North Vancouver
(2 blocks behind Avalon Hotel) 9
Open Daily Fri. 9-9; Sun 12-4 ff

Vancouver is Josing basic
grants from the provincial
government.

Bui West Vancouver's cut,
which adds up to about $1.6
million, also includes the
withdrawal of a family services
grant and a $565,566 police
equalization payment. (Unlike
most municipalities, West
Vancouver has its own police

force.) West Vancouver also
stands to lose a_ further
$575,000 as a result of the
province's decision to save
about $200,000 a year by
closing down the West
Vancouver court house.
Although West Vancouver
District Council will have to
consider a range of unpleasant
options to make up the

All Chef
Pasquale
Cookware

Sets

234

Fashion Bras
& Panty Sets

(209)

~ Tan Jay &
Alia Fashions

for Women
(Regular-priced)

“worst-case” $2.9 million
shortfall for this year, Mayor
Pat Boname remains opti-
mistic.

“If we hadn't been pru-
dent in the last few years, if we
didn’t have things in place
such as the Capital Facilities
Fund, we would be finding
things more challenging,
especially given council’s pri-

Watch for

Wednesday, February 12, 1997 — North Shore News ~

West Van Council facing tough decisions

ority for an increased level of
funding for infrastructrurc,"
said Boname.

West Vancouver is working
with the Union of B.C.
Municipalities to try and
Negotiate 2 better situation
with the provincial govern-
ment, which may be failing to
live up to some of the terms of
its own Local Government

Grant Act. Measures to come
up wih uiis year’s shortfall
cannot be short term solu-
dans.

A further $960,000 in cuts
from the province is feared in
1998, and there is a threat of
having to maintain the
Cypress Bowl Road to the
tune of $400,000 a year in the
future.

Discontinued
Fashion
Bedding

All Men’s Dress
Shirts & Ties

(excluding Collection Eaton)

All Sterling
Silver Jewellery

the Sale bailoons
on lots of great items
throughout the store.

* Off selected items. Savings are off the orginal ticketed prices unless otherwise noted.
Excludes Factory Outlets, Warehouse Stores and Clearance Cantres. Personal shopping only.