Sarnia council wants to hear from the public before it even considers implementing a city-wide transit levy.
A motion, made by councillor Andy Bruziewicz, to table the item until September was supported Monday.
"I don't think we should be moving on, one way or the other, until we do go to this public input ," says Bruziewicz. "I think the transit committee has received its input from the public, I think this is for the whole council to actually connect with the public and make a decision taking into account all of the merits of this exemption, for the special transit area, and reconcile that with what the public sentiment is."
Council was presented an information report from staff, detailing the advantages and disadvantages of the current transit area for taxation revenue.
A financial analysis to levy all properties in Sarnia to support the service was also done.
Mayor Mike Bradley said Friday if a proposal was to move forward to expand the area, the rural part of the city would be impacted -- particularly the former town of Clearwater.
Resident Debbie Krukowski told council she felt like she stepped into a time machine and was transported back to the beginning of this century.
"Back in 2000, the council of the day also tried to roll the transit levy into the general millwright -- it didn't work," says Krukowski.
Resident Debbie Krukowski voices concern over city-wide transit levy. April 10, 2017 BlackburnNews.com photo by Meghan Bond
Krukowski told councillors the levy was a carry over from the former town of Clearwater.
"Before amalgamation, the town of Clearwater entered into an agreement with the City of Sarnia to provide bus service to the Wiltshire subdivision," she says. "As a consequence, the cost of this service was recovered through a special service rate on the taxes for just those residents who actually received the service."
Krukowski says people moved into the town of Clearwater knowing they would receive less service and as a result, enjoy lower taxes.
"Eliminating the special transit service levy would not be acting in good faith and when placed along side your fee for service book, you have little reason -- or rational to change the bylaw," Krukowski told council.
In her report, Finance Director Lisa Armstrong said if council wished to change the method of taxation associated with transit in the 2018 budget, a decision had to be finalized by this June.
The earliest a city-wide transit levy could now come into effect would be 2019.
