A Prince George city councillor who has been advocating for greater flexibility in the use of federal gas tax funds was buoyed by the news he may have Premier Christy Clark in his corner.
"If what I heard is correct, that the premier thinks it was a good idea to expand the criteria so that it could accommodate local governments' needs, that's a great thing," said Coun. Dave Wilbur.
A question about the gas tax was put to B.C. government leader Christy Clark during her exclusive interview with the Prince George Citizen last week.
"If we're talking about existing revenues and not raising taxes on people... then that's a conversation we can have - as long as we're not increasing the tax burden on people," she said.
By his count, Wilbur has spoken to five different cabinet ministers about the issue and raised it on the floor of the 2012 Union of B.C. Municipalities' convention.
Federal gas tax monies allocated to B.C. have restrictions on them that aren't in place for other provinces in that they can only be used for green or sustainable infrastructure projects.
Wilbur has argued that the ability to use the money for operating costs, such as road repair, will go much farther in communities such as Prince George.
"I think with what the premier said, there is a weight of thought now that explains we, who don't live in rapid transit land, have our priorities and needs and they need to be accommodated," Wilbur said.
Clark also said she was "happy to talk to municipalities about big new ideas" they could use to increase revenues outside of raising taxes.
In the final days before the provincial election writ is dropped, it could be easy to look skeptically at anything smiled upon by politicians, but Wilbur said these are the questions that need to be asked of everyone in the running.
"If you're a Liberal candidate, if you're a Green candidate, NDP candidate or Conservative candidate I think it's a fair question to ask them what they see on the horizon in the sense of meeting the needs of all the communities and not just those in the big urban strip," he said.
Municipal governments don't come out in favour of parties, but councillors and mayors are free to support anyone privately through their vote, said Mayor Shari Green, and their role in public office doesn't stop them from asking questions like any other constituent.
Unlike some communities in the Lower Mainland, the Prince George council isn't formed and doesn't necessarily vote along political party lines, which Green said works well in the local environment.
"There is an interest from local governments to ensure, especially, that all of the party leaders communicate to communities what they can expect to see," she said. "So in our democratic process, people cast their ballot and the province's residents will decide and we as local government work with whatever the government of the day is."
-- with files from Peter James
