Everything is more expensive these days – and that includes running a city.
The Township of Langley is not immune to rising costs, both to capital projects, but also operating costs.
Traditionally the only way for cities to raise money to pay for infrastructure and safety services has been two-fold: Property taxes and user fees.
And I assure you, no one wants to see their property taxes increased any more than they already are.
In April 2022 council approved a three percent increase on property taxes. Come 2023 there is likely to be another huge increase as a consequence of run-away monetary inflation (no fault of municipal governments).
Our council needs to come up with creative ways to increase revenue so we can keep taxes from ballooning.
Development Cost Charges and Community Amenity Charges force developers to pay for parks, roads, sewers, etc., but these are input costs to a new home and have an effect on the cost of housing – which is its own political landmine.
The Township should adopt some of the examples around North America, and even the emerging markets, and start fostering “Adopt-a-“ programs and sell naming rights to infrastructure.
The City of Baltimore recently estimated they could raise $1 million in revenue over five years just by selling naming rights to civic facilities.
St. Johns, Arizona was putting in new street lamps and was offering opportunities for businesses to sponsor them as a way to fund the beautification process.
In Nairobi, Kenya, they went a step further and have advertising on street lamps to help fund their local government operation budget.
There are other ways to keep taxes down by encouraging neighbourhood-level voluntary conscription as a way to avoid having to pay for services.
We already have a Adopt-A-Street program that requires the named business or persons to keep the road and sidewalks clear of trash.
But we can go a step further.
Missoula, Montana brought on an Adopt-A-Circle program, allowing people to take ownership of roundabouts – not just clearing them of debris, but also the landscaping.
There’s no reason that we can’t start selling naming rights to overpasses, bridges, parks, and recreational facilities – and why stop there. If we are to truly serve the residents of the Township of Langley we need to pull out all the stops and get creative in keeping the budget balanced and still providing quality services.