Ongoing YYCCC (Chu + Farkas) Transgressions Threat

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Might as well do it wrong then eh?

Don't like your commute? Move.

Ah yes, it must be wrong because some businessmen and a few politicians said it was wrong. Let's ignore the findings of all the previous consultations, meetings, hearings, reviews, because reasons?

Also, that's some prime FYGM right here.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Ah yes, it must be wrong because some businessmen and a few politicians said it was wrong.

And because the City themselves said:

Based on our analysis and what we’ve heard we will be continuing to evaluate how to build the Green Line through the Downtown and Beltline. This means we will be investigating ways to shorten the tunnel and bring as much to surface as possible.

https://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-stage-1-update/

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by accord1999

And because the City themselves said:

https://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-stage-1-update/

This doesn't mention delaying the project indefinitely.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

This doesn't mention delaying the project indefinitely.

A delay of about a year or so, to study what would be the most cost effective use of the resources Calgary has available now. A delay that shouldn't even matter because the downtown core isn't even scheduled to RFP until 2021:





It would push back completion of the SE segment, but that shouldn't matter since its doubtful the City would open that line with nothing in downtown to connect it to. Even if there was no delay, Phase 1 would probably still wait to 2027 to open because ridership (and operating losses) would be terrible otherwise.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by accord1999

A delay of about a year or so, to study what would be the most cost effective use of the resources Calgary has available now. A delay that shouldn't even matter because the downtown core isn't even scheduled to RFP until 2021:





It would push back completion of the SE segment, but that shouldn't matter since its doubtful the City would open that line with nothing in downtown to connect it to. Even if there was no delay, Phase 1 would probably still wait to 2027 to open because ridership (and operating losses) would be terrible otherwise.

Fair enough. That said, I don't see the calls for re-assessment putting a timeline on this. Only "send it back to the drawing board", not "here's a process to follow with a delivery date of x".

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Fair enough. That said, I don't see the calls for re-assessment putting a timeline on this. Only "send it back to the drawing board", not "here's a process to follow with a delivery date of x".

Oh, I was working off his motion, which is asking for a final report no later than Q2 2020. I didn't notice he didn't put the deadline on his statement.


https://www.calgary.ca/citycouncil/w...f%20Motion.pdf

[Incogneto]

So is the green line going to be halted? Shame City Hall if it is not built!

[MoneyGuy]

I’m attending the AUMA conference and delegates passed an environmental resolution. Nenshi was at the mic and said that he hopes that his colleague (who he didn’t name) who constantly talks about the issue “will stop talking about this now.”

[Slava]

I guess this is the right thread for this and it's kind of our ongoing city council thread.

If you're interested in some of the recent history and really sheer insanity of our council, give the latest "Sprawlcast" a listen. It's really well done, and just mind boggling at how we ended up in this position!

S10 at this link: https://www.sprawlcalgary.com/sprawlcast

[81MC]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...lley-1.5351460
This should be a bigger deal I think.
It’s terrible to me that CC actually approved these in the first place, and the fact developers so blatantly have more clout than citizens of Calgary.

[Wormius]

Maybe somebody can explain this, I don't understand why we need more houses. I look at MLS and I see thousands of homes for sale. Is it something beyond just having a brand new house that is necessitating these new developments?

[Fuzz]

https://www.creb.com/-/media/Public/...port.pdf?la=en


Some interesting stats and graphs here, sorry PDF so I'm not going to pull them out. Perhaps someone with knowledge on this can comment on what they show. The graph on page 7 is interesting, as it shows there is only around 2 months supply for those average priced homes they are building.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by accord1999

Woolley is supported by Peter Oliver, head of Beltline Neighborhoods Association. The Green Line has gone massively over-budget, resulting in virtually the entire NC segment (the one with immediate higher ridership and capacity need) cut, and now further cost reductions are needed in the important downtown core.

I don't have any problems with pause to examine whether this orientation to the SE is the best use of the money available, or whether there are options that are better now that we know just how expensive the Green Line will be.

I never trust any neighbourhood association of any kind. Unelected, opaque, small membership.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by 81MC

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...lley-1.5351460
This should be a bigger deal I think.
It’s terrible to me that CC actually approved these in the first place, and the fact developers so blatantly have more clout than citizens of Calgary.

but there is the part at the end.

"I don't think that this council would have any intent, or there would be much appetite, in backing off on that," Woolley said, referencing the city's agreement to fund half of the $550-million Calgary Flames arena.
"But remember that the pie of money is a finite pie. And so for the $275 million that council has put in to build this new arena, that means other stuff isn't getting built."

agree urban sprawl is a huge issue.
but shouldn't people also complain that is such tight times Calgary committed 300 million to a new arena? and that money was committed after the UCP broadly telegraphed cuts were coming, unlike the developments.

I notice Woolley is supporting that spend.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

but there is the part at the end.
but shouldn't people also complain that is such tight times Calgary committed 300 million to a new arena? and that money was committed after the UCP broadly telegraphed cuts were coming, unlike the developments.

I notice Woolley is supporting that spend.

Huh? Woolley was one of four councillors (along with Chahal, Farkas, and Farrell) who voted against the arena deal.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Huh? Woolley was one of four councillors (along with Chahal, Farkas, and Farrell) who voted against the arena deal.

he's supporting it now as a done deal

going on about the subdivisions, but in the article he said "I don't think that this council would have any intent, or there would be much appetite, in backing off on that," Woolley said, referencing the city's agreement to fund half of the $550-million Calgary Flames arena.

if he was that serious and concerned about city spend, maybe he'd have said something that "everything should be on the table including at this time, paying for a new event centre."

considering the cuts, the arena shouldn't be a sacred cow, that's all. (although I know its a fait accompli)
timing couldn't be worse for building one.

[81MC]

Is this our de facto Municipal politics thread? I have some questions around business property tax, someone here likely knows the answers to.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ncil-1.5374158
This article states some things I have a hard time digesting as the whole picture:

One business has seen property tax TRIPLE in 4 years?
Other business - 16K to 63K - a 290% increase? In this instance, I’m very familiar with the building, and would say 16k under any circumstance was WAY under taxed.

Is this an instance of the city offering rebates year over year and they finally ended so they are back to real market values? something seems missing from this information, or I’ve had too much to drink already.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by 81MC

Is this our de facto Municipal politics thread? I have some questions around business property tax, someone here likely knows the answers to.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ncil-1.5374158
This article states some things I have a hard time digesting as the whole picture:

One business has seen property tax TRIPLE in 4 years?
Other business - 16K to 63K - a 290% increase? In this instance, I’m very familiar with the building, and would say 16k under any circumstance was WAY under taxed.

Is this an instance of the city offering rebates year over year and they finally ended so they are back to real market values? something seems missing from this information, or I’ve had too much to drink already.

Someone else will be able to explain this much better, but I believe 2 separate taxes were rolled into 1 (a change that somehow occurred without a ministry of red-tape reduction)...ie. no more business tax, it's all included in property tax.

A lot of businesses and terrible columnists (Corbella) have been loose with facts in complaining about the issue. There may still be reasonable grounds to complain, but it's not the insanity that is being presented.

https://www.calgary.ca/PDA/Assessmen...?redirect=/btc

Business tax consolidation (BTC)
In 2011, City Council passed a Notice of Motion for the consolidation of the business and non-residential tax. Moving to a single tax environment enhances Calgary’s economic competitiveness and attractiveness and improves efficiency in the administration of Calgary’s municipal tax system. The consolidation of business tax revenues into the non-residential property tax began in 2014 and concluded as of the 2019 roll. The business tax consolidation process occurred over a 7-year period with 10 percent being transferred to the non-residential property tax rate in 2014 and 2015 and 20 percent being added in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The consolidation does not impact your non-residential property assessment, nor will it be reflected on your assessment notice.

Business assessment notices will not be sent out in 2019.

BTC: A revenue neutral process

The consolidated business tax revenues have been subject to a zero per cent business tax rate increase and the consolidation process has been based on an approach that is revenue neutral to The City of Calgary. Revenue neutral means The City will generate no more or no less revenues due to the transfer of business tax revenues to the non-residential property tax.

Probably more info:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/com...nd_commercial/

[Roughneck]

Council voted on the tax shift of residential - non-residential to 52-48 (from 49-51) to help reduce the tax burden on businesses next year

https://twitter.com/user/status/1200580595115610112

https://twitter.com/user/status/1200580888276459520


A no-win situation really, but for the best they did it, IMO. Homeowners were subsidized by a booming downtown core of office space for a long time, this will be the new normal. Businesses got hit hardest last year, homeowners will be hit harder this year, but the large residential pool can better spread out the impacts of the shift.

[Slava]

So is that the actual increase for people at 7.5%? I only ask because for the past couple weeks I kept hearing that zero doesn't actually mean zero, so now I assume that 7.5% might equate to a different number as well?