Tiny facing huge hit under proposed OPP billing model

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?

Tiny facing huge hit under proposed OPP billing model

Postby Thomas » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:07 am

Millar: 25 per cent tax hike would be needed to cover doubling police costs

TINY TOWNSHIP – Tiny Township residents could face a 25 per cent tax hike if a proposed Ontario Provincial Police billing model is implemented in 2015.

The proposed formula would more than double Tiny’s policing costs to $3.5 million from $1.7 million, Mayor Ray Millar wrote in a recent letter to Premier Kathleen Wynne.

“They have broken down the cost to be about $260 fixed costs per household, and about $110 per household on average for variable costs, such as calls for service,” Millar said, noting the current cost of OPP service varies between $8 per household to as much as $2,200.

Millar is a member of a working group reviewing the price of policing. The review was sparked by complaints from a number of municipalities about OPP costs.

“The OPP have made it clear they want a new billing model in place by 2015,” Millar said. “That doesn’t leave a great deal of time.

“We are approaching the problem from a couple of different angles. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has put together a group that is working on a solution. Doug Luker, our CAO, serves on that committee.”

Under the proposed formula, some municipalities, including Penetanguishene, will see their policing costs substantially reduced. Others, like Tiny, would face major cost increases.

In his letter to the premier, Millar pointed out “the total cost projected for 2015 is based on a per-household count, and includes both permanent and seasonal households.”

He is asking the province to consider adjusting the billing model to take into account and provide financial relief for those communities that have a significant percentage of seasonal households.

For instance, the 2011 census indicated Tiny had a total of 9,564 private households, but only 4,619 permanent residents.

“The policing services and related costs in a seasonal community would be naturally reduced in the off-season and, as such, would result in fewer costs to the OPP,” Millar argued in his letter.

In addition, he has asked the province for transitional and long-term financial assistance to mitigate the financial impact of the proposed billing model.

“I have suggested they take a similar approach to that adopted by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), which phases in tax increases over a multi-year period.”

Tiny, one of 324 Ontario municipalities policed by the OPP, is also advocating a comprehensive review “to identify efficiencies and cost savings” in police services across the province.

Midland, the only north Simcoe municipality not policed by the OPP, had asked the provincial force for a cost estimate to service the town, but that step was put on hold until the new billing model is finalized.

http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/441858 ... ing-model/
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