General Committee
February 21, 2017
Meeting
Number 3
Finance & Administrative Issues Community Services Issues
Chair: Deputy Mayor Jack
Heath Chair: Councillor Alan Ho
Vice Chair: Councillor Colin Campbell Vice
Chair: Councillor Alex Chiu
Environment
& Sustainability Issues Building,
Parks, & Construction Issues
Chair: Councillor
Valerie Burke Chair: Councillor Colin
Campbell
Vice Chair: Councillor Karen Rea Vice Chair: Regional Councillor Nirmala
Armstrong
Alternate formats are available
upon request.
Attendance
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Andy
Taylor, Chief Administrative Officer
Trinela
Cane, Commissioner of Corporate Services
Brenda
Librecz, Commissioner of Community & Fire Services
Catherine
Conrad, City Solicitor and Acting Director of
Human Resources
Kimberley
Kitteringham, City Clerk
Joel
Lustig, Treasurer
Mary Creighton, Director of Recreation
Services
Shane Mason, Senior Manager, Revenue
& Property Tax
Andrea Tang, Senior Manager of Financial Planning
Mary Creighton, Director of Recreation
Alida
Tari, Council/Committee Coordinator
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The General Committee meeting convened at the hour of 9:05 AM with Deputy
Mayor Jack Heath in the Chair and Councillor Alan Ho Chaired Community Services
related items.
General Committee recessed at 11:01 AM and reconvened at 11:16 AM. General Committee recessed at 12:26 PM and
reconvened at 1:17 PM.
Disclosure of
Interest
None disclosed.
1. MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 6, 2017
GENERAL COMMITTEE (16.0)
Minutes
Regional
Councillor Nirmala Armstrong requested an update relative to the Private
Member’s Bill C-323. Staff advised that
an update will be provided in the near future.
Moved by
Councillor Alex Chiu
Seconded by
Councillor Logan Kanapathi
1) That
the minutes of the February 6, 2017 General Committee meeting be confirmed.
Carried
2. GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER
ASSOCIATION AWARDS (7.0)
Report
Andrea Tang, Senior
Manager of Financial Planning addressed the Committee and provided opening
remarks relative to the Government Finance Officer Association Awards.
Mayor Frank Scarpitti
on behalf of all Members of Council congratulated Andrea Tang, Senior Manager
of Financial Planning and all the City staff involved in the budgeting process
for again achieving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and the
Canadian Award for Financial Reporting.
Moved by Councillor
Logan Kanapathi
Seconded by Councillor
Amanda Collucci
1)
That the report dated February
1, 2017 entitled “Government Finance Officers Association Awards” be received;
and,
2) That the formal presentation on the
receipt of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the annual budget
for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2016 and the Canadian Award for
Excellence in Financial Reporting for the annual financial report for the year
ended December 31, 2015 from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
be received.
Carried
3. 2017
PROPERTY TAX RATIO (7.3)
Presentation
Joel Lustig, Treasurer delivered a
PowerPoint presentation regarding the 2017 Property Tax Ratio Policy.
The Committee discussed the following with
respect to the 2017 Property Tax Ration Policy:
·
Impacts to municipalities in
York Region as a result of leaving the ratios unchanged and revenue neutrality
·
Consider an insert in the final
2017 property tax bill explaining tax shifts
The Committee suggested that staff provide
an update at the March 6, 2017 General Committee meeting on the York Region
report that will be considered at their Committee of the Whole meeting on March
9, 2017 that includes the 2017 - 2020 tax ratio policy. Staff indicated that if the report is not
made public prior to the March 6 General Committee meeting they will provide
Members of Council with a briefing note prior to the York Region Committee of
the Whole meeting.
Moved by Mayor Frank Scarpitti
Seconded by Councillor Amanda Collucci
Whereas Markham assumes that the property assessment for the
residential class will continue to increase at a greater amount than that of
the non-residential classes for the foreseeable future; and,
Whereas Markham proposes that York Region amend its current Tax Ratio
Policy as follows:
1. To maintain a relative
tax burden (revenue neutral) between all property classes while ensuring a
non-residential competitive advantage based on relative tax ratios amongst GTA
municipalities (Peel, Halton, Durham and Toronto).
2. This policy will ensure
that the property taxes collected year over year will be the same in each class
as long as York Region maintains the lowest tax ratios of GTA municipalities;
Now therefore be it resolved that:
1) The presentation entitled "2017 Property Tax Ratios Policy" be received;
and,
2) Council support setting the Region-wide
tax ratios to “revenue neutral" such that the relative tax burden of each
property class in York Region is the same after the reassessment as it was
before the reassessment; and,
3) This resolution be forwarded to the
Regional Municipality of York; and,
4) That staff be directed to provide an
update at the March 6, 2017 General Committee meeting regarding the York Region
report that will be considered at the York Region Committee of the Whole
meeting on March 9, 2017 relative to the 2017 – 2020 tax ratio policy; and
further,
5) Staff be authorized to and directed to
do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Carried
There were
no deputations.
COMMUNICATIONS
There were
no communications.
There were
no petitions.
4. MINUTES OF THE JANUARY
18, 2017
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ACCESSIBILITY (16.0)
Minutes
Moved by
Regional Councillor Jim Jones
Seconded by
Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong
1) That
the minutes of the January 18, 2017 Advisory Committee on Accessibility meeting
be received for information purposes.
Carried
5. MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 19, 2016
PUBLIC REALM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (16.0)
Minutes
Moved by
Regional Councillor Jim Jones
Seconded by
Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong
1) That
the minutes of the December 19, 2016 Public Realm Advisory Committee meeting be
received for information purposes.
Carried
6. STAFF AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR
THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2017 (7.12)
Report
There was brief discussion relative to
262-T-16 Curb Box Rehabilitation Program.
Moved by
Regional Councillor Jim Jones
Seconded by
Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong
1) That
the report entitled “Staff Awarded Contracts for the Month of January 2017” be
received; and,
2) That Staff be authorized and directed
to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Carried
7. VACANT UNIT PROPERTY
TAX REBATE PROGRAM (7.0)
Report
Shane Manson, Senior Manager, Revenue &
Property Tax addressed the Committee and summarized the details outlined in the
report.
The Committee discussed the following
relative to the vacant unit property tax rebate program:
·
Need to understand the impact
if the program is eliminated
·
If eliminated or modified how
it will affect future commercial and industrial development
·
Ensure the consultation process
includes developers of commercial and industrial buildings; the City's Economic
Development Department ; business community and the individuals who have
applied for the rebate program in previous years
The Committee suggested that staff do an
analysis of how the elimination or modification of the vacant unit property tax
rebate would affect the Cineplex Cinemas Markham and VIP in Markham Centre,
AVIVA Insurance Building and the former AMEX building.
There was discussion regarding the three
dates that York Region in consultation with the lower tier municipalities have
been given to provide a Council resolution to the Minister of Finance being:
March 1, 2017; April 1, 2017 or July 1, 2017.
It was suggested that staff draft a resolution for York Region to
request that the Minister of Finance provide an extension to November 30, 2017
to submit their Council resolution.
Moved by Regional Councillor Nirmala
Armstrong
Seconded by Regional Councillor Jim Jones
1)
That the report entitled Vacant
Unit Property Tax Rebate Program be received; and,
2) That Council authorize Staff to undertake a business
consultation process with the local business community to discuss the vacancy
rebate program; and,
3) That Staff be directed to participate in ongoing discussions
with the Region of York and area municipalities; and,
4) That Staff report back to Council on the final
recommendations that will be made to Regional Council; and,
5) That staff be directed to draft a
resolution for York Region requesting that latest deadline to provide a Council
resolution to the Minister of Finance be extended to November 30, 2017; and
further,
6) That staff be authorized and directed to do all things
necessary to give effect to these resolutions.
Carried
8. ICE ALLOCATION - REQUEST FOR
EXPANSION OF HOCKEY LEAGUE
BY THORNHILL COMMUNITY
HOCKEY LEAGUE AND MARKHAM
ISLANDERS (6.1)
Report
Moved by Deputy Mayor Jack Heath
Seconded by Regional Councillor Jim Jones
1) That the report entitled "Ice
Allocation - Request for Expansion of Hockey League by Thornhill Community
Hockey League and Markham Islanders" be received for information; and,
2) That Council approve Staff
recommendation to not support the request by Thornhill Community Hockey League
(TCHL) to expand to include a competitive hockey program; and,
3) That Council approve Staff
recommendation to not support the request by Markham Islanders Hockey League to
expand to include a house league hockey program; and further,
4) That Staff be authorized and directed
to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Carried
MOTIONS
There were
no motions.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS
There were
no notices of motions.
NEW/OTHER BUSINESS
9. RICHMOND
HILL BOUNDARY IN LANGSTAFF (8.0)
Deputy Mayor Jack Heath advised that he Chaired
a meeting to begin the discussion relative to the boundary in the Langstaff
area between City of Markham and Town of Richmond Hill. He will provide further information at a
future meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENT
There were
no announcements.
Adjournment
Moved by Councillor Alan Ho
Seconded by Councillor Valerie
Burke
That the General Committee meeting adjourn at 1:20 PM.
Carried