Whereas local governments in British Columbia have experienced a growing number of responsibilities transferred or expanded by the Province and federal government without corresponding, sustainable funding, requiring municipalities to absorb additional costs within their existing revenue tools; And whereas property tax remains the primary revenue source available to local governments, and the downloading of provincially driven responsibilities places disproportionate pressure on residential and business property taxpayers, creating inequities and affordability concerns: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM undertake a comprehensive study of the scope, scale, and fiscal impacts of downloading of responsibilities onto local governments in British Columbia; And be it further resolved that UBCM use the findings of this study to advocate to the Province, and to the federal government, when applicable, for a more equitable funding model that aligns responsibilities with appropriate and sustainable revenue sources and reduces the unfair reliance on property tax increases to fund provincially downloaded responsibilities.
