Rocky View County (RVC) council has initiated a resolution asking the Rural Municipalities of Alberta Association (RMA) to advocate for additional consultation by the provincial government on a proposed police-funding model for rural municipalities and small towns.
“Recognizing that changes do likely need to occur to police service delivery, there are many unanswered questions,” said Amy Zaluski, manager of intergovernmental Affairs, during a presentation to council at a regular meeting Oct. 22.
The resolution was unanimously supported by council and, according to Zaluski, was seconded the same day by a resolution of Kneehill County council.
According to Zaluski, the United Conservative Party (UCP) committed to reviewing the costing model for rural municipalities and small towns in the run-up to April’s provincial election.
The proposed formula, she said, is based on 70 per cent equalized assessment and 30 per cent population. According to the resolution, equalized assessment is not a stable measure and does not translate directly to tax revenue or a municipality’s wealth, “especially due to the struggles that many municipalities face in collecting non-residential taxes.”
The government proposes to recover between 15 and 70 per cent of its cost from the model, Zaluski said, adding that could range between $2 million to almost $10 million for RVC.
“The model appears to be cost downloading, as there has been no discussion or proposed actions to increase service levels as a result of the [cost] increase,” Zaluski said. “There’s also no consideration given by the province for the contributions made by many municipalities for enhanced positions, such as community peace officers and enhanced RCMP positions.”
As an example, Zaluski said, RVC pays approximately $500,000 for three enhanced policing positions and a watch clerk position for the RCMP.
RMA has already voiced its concerns with the funding formula in meetings with the government, according to president and Mountain View County Coun. Al Kemmere.
“This is a proposal that is just taking the cost of policing from the provincial budget onto the municipal tax base, and it’s not reflecting anything to improve service levels or to improve the input of people who are paying,” Kemmere told the Mountain View Gazette in September.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) has been highly critical of the proposed model change, with Kathleen Ganley, MLA for Calgary-Mountain View, saying it would be a “significant burden” for municipalities to shoulder.
“In some areas, that will put people’s municipal tax burden up $400 a year, which is a lot of money to some people,” she said.
The provincial government, meanwhile, has pushed back on the criticism. In a statement released Sept. 18, Justice Minister and Solicitor General Doug Schweitzer said the UCP is investing more in policing, not less, and called the NDP’s criticism hypocritical.
“After the NDP sat on their hands for four years as crime rates skyrocketed in many rural communities, Albertans gave the UCP a historic mandate to keep Albertans safe, secure and protected,” he said.
“Our government is committed to giving law enforcement the tools and resources necessary to ensure there is a sustainable reduction in crime, and Albertans have confidence that their justice system will protect them, their loved ones and their property.”
Schweitzer went on to say that any assertion that the proposed model would result in less funding was “absolutely, 100 per cent false.”
- with files from Scott Strasser and Dan Singleton
