Wawa community struggles to pay for increased cost of OPP

Obscenely high and unsustainable policing costs. OPP bills are destroying communities its officers are supposed to protect. Apparent self-interest is cloaked in the guise of public safety needs. Where is the political outrage while OPP costs continue to climb? Who is going to bring policing costs in this province under control?

Wawa community struggles to pay for increased cost of OPP

Postby Thomas » Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:46 am

Wawa mayor says community will struggle to pay for increased cost of OPP contract after officers receive 8.5% raise

Wawa's mayor says an 8.55% raise for Ontario Provincial Police officers has put the already struggling northern town in an even tougher spot.

Come budget time, Wawa is expected to have to raise tax rates by 2.89% just to cover $101,000 in OPP fee increases, said Mayor Linda Nowicki.

“We're going to have to make some difficult decisions this year, for sure,” said Nowicki.

Leaders from across the province whose communities contract with the OPP to supply municipal policing have said they will be left with similar tax increases due to the salary increase, which took effect on Jan. 1.

The substantial raise comes as OPP officers reach the final year of a three-year deal reached with the province that saw two years of zero increases followed by a catch-up in 2014 to make them the highest paid in the province.

It was cost that spurred Wawa to drop its own municipal police force two years ago in favour of a contract with the OPP, but those benefits are quickly being eaten up, said Nowicki.

“It did save us $200,000-$300,000 in the first year and continues to save us, but that savings is now dwindling so we're right back where we were,” she said.

Hard economic times made it tough for Wawa to sustain its own police force and a continuing slump has the municipality facing a number of issues as it begins to prepare the coming year's budget, the mayor said.

She said the cost of energy is putting pressure on the municipality, as is increased downloading by the provincial government.

Add to that flooding in the fall that left Wawa with a hefty bridge repair bill and Nowicki said a $2.3-million annual compensation fund the community receives from the province for the hydro dams within its boundaries remains frozen while it is under review by the province.

“If they review the program and cancel the power dam funding we might as well turn off the lights and just all leave,” said Nowicki.

She said the city would be receiving more than $4 million if it was still allowed to tax the power dams.

She said there may be some relief in sight as the OPP and the province are currently reviewing the way municipalities are billed for police services, aiming for creating a new system based on “fairness and transparency.”

Wawa is among some of the hardest-hit communities as it stands, with residents paying out close to $700 a year per household for police services alone. Some pay much less. Severn Township, near Orillia, estimated it would pay just over $200 per household in 2013, while those in unorganized townships pay no fees.

Nowicki said she hopes the new model will bring fees down considerably for Wawa.

“We hope it will bring our cost down to a little over $400 per household a year,” she said.

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