Gabriolan electors will have the power to determine whether to support transit on Gabriola Island with taxpayer dollars in the next two weeks.
Gas tax funding money for the Gabriola Environmentally Responsible Trans-Island Express, a three-year community bus pilot project, is set to expire in June and a referendum will take place to determine if Gabriolans have an appetite for increased taxation to pay for the service.
Summary of #Gabriola Island #transit referendum, courtesy @RDNanaimo. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/IH289I4D6S
— Karl Yu (@KarlYuBulletin) February 2, 2016
Part of the referendum asks if Gabriola residents are in favour of an annual tax requisition “up to a maximum of the greater of $250,000 or $0.25 per $1,000 of net taxable value of land and improvements.”
“When you look at that bylaw, you would think your taxes are going to go up really a lot, and that we’re asking for $250,000. In reality, we’re asking you to approve $250,000, but GERTIE is only asking for $136,000 and $6,000 of that is administrative costs that go to the [Regional District of Nanaimo],” said Howard Houle, regional district director for Gabriola.
If the bus operator wants to increase the amount, Houle said it must hold a meeting to ask the community.
More than 50 per cent approval from the electorate is needed in order for the referendum to pass, and Houle said should that happen, the impact on taxpayers in the first year would be about $7.76 per $100,000 of assessed property tax value. He said that would be for six months, as the first half of the year is still covered by gas tax money.
“In the second year ... the rate will go up to about $37.50 for a $350,000 house,” said Houle.
Advance voting will take place Wednesday (Feb. 3) and Feb. 10 at Gabriola Elementary School, 680 North Rd. on Gabriola Island, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
General voting takes place on Feb. 13 at the Gabriola school gym between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Jacquie Hill, chief election officer and regional district administrative services manager, said results will be posted online after the polling station closes on Feb. 13.
The official results must be declared by 4 p.m. on Feb. 17, Hill said.
For more information, please see the Regional District of Nanaimo’s website, www.rdn.bc.ca.