One big unhappy township
According to our Community Profile, prior to amalgamation, the population distribution was as follows: Hinchinbrooke (Parham) 1,328; Kennebec (Arden) 968; Olden (Mountain Grove) 906; Oso (Sharbot Lake) 1,413. Then CAO John DuChene reported in 2010 the following tax revenues by ward: Hinchinbrooke $1,259,000; Kennebec $1,246,000; Olden $1,046,000; Oso $1,308,000. Assuming for a moment that population distributions had remained stable over those ten years, these figures suggest that tax relative to population is highest in Kennebec and lowest in Oso, and by a full 39% (if population had remained the same the per person figures would be: Kennebec $1,287; Olden $1154; Oso $926). Apparently Kennebec and Olden are massive cash cows to the township.
According to the pre-amalgamation population figures Oso (Sharbot Lake) had only a 56% greater population than Olden (Mountain Grove), the least populated member of this group. Sharbot Lake has two gas stations, three restaurants, a large grocer, a pharmacy, a medical centre, a building centre and many other businesses. Mountain Grove has… To round out the list a corner store in Parham and three sporadically open artisanal shops in Arden. Clearly Sharbot Lake has a retail presence far disproportionate to its population base. Why?
A fire hall, an expansion to municipal offices, a railway museum, a major recreational trail, a new health centre, a farmers' market, a working public washroom, a new school, an economic development initiative; provincial, county and municipal money has funded these in Sharbot Lake. In Arden a fire hall, Mountain Grove a fire hall, in Parham that trail. There is a problem here.
I do not have up-to-date figures to substantiate what in my gut I know is wrong. At a recent all-candidates meeting I asked if, with our tax bills, we could get a listing of tax revenues and expenditures by ward (including pro-rated administrative costs). My thought was that this would tell us if there was a tendency to favour one ward over another, and if so that could be corrected. The local candidates to a man (there were no women) said no. Apparently we are now one big happy township, and that kind of information could undermine the happiness of the township. It sure could.
I don't know if I'm the only one who cares. If there is someone else who hates having most property taxes go to improvements to another town, please let me know at [email protected]. I'm not sure. It could be less than most, or it could be more. If our sad cast of candidates has its way, we will never know.
David Daski
