Councillors mull tax policy, revenue
Sooke councillors have asked district staff for a report on municipal revenue and tax policy.
The request came following a report from the finance department recommending the Class 5 (light industry) tax ratio be set at 3.4 from 5.5 and Class 6 (business) from 2.39 to 2.3786.
Council decided it couldn’t look at two classes of tax ratios without examining all classes.
Tax ratios distribute the tax burden between classes relative to the residential class tax ratio. The province provides municipalities with a limited authority to establish tax ratios for each property class.
Bylaw aims to discourage wildlife
District of Sooke staff will write a draft waste management bylaw with recommendations to council requiring residents to put garbage and food scraps to the curb no earlier than 5 a.m. on garbage pick up days.
The request was made by Transition Sooke at a council meeting last week.
The bylaw will dissuade human and wildlife interaction, said Jeff Bateman, president of Transition Sooke.
“The bylaw would provide clarification and direction to the few who put out the garbage the night before and create potential problems with wildlife,” he said. “There would be an emphasis n public education rather than enforcement.”
The draft bylaw is expected to be presented to council early in the new year.