Prince George Coun. Cameron Stolz is stepping down as the head of the city's finance and audit committee after his home was included on a list of those behind on their taxes.
Stolz's property was on the first Tax Sale of Lands notice published in the newspaper Sept. 6.
The notice is sent out twice prior to the last Monday of the month, listing properties for which taxes have not been paid for the last three years. Stolz owed a total amount of $15,064.78, including taxes and penalties. His property was removed from the second list published Sept. 25.
Those properties which still had not paid their delinquent taxes - those from 2011 - and interest by the morning of Sept. 30 were eligible to be auctioned off that day.
"I'm sorry for the concerns that this has caused and I want to assure the community that I am committed to serving our city. I'm happy to say that, like our city, my business is now enjoying being part of the positive economic times that are occurring in northern B.C. and that my property taxes are now current," said Stolz. "I'm a small business owner and like many other businesses in our community I had some challenges as a result of the global recession we all went through. This has now turned around."
Stolz said he met informally with his fellow finance and audit committee members - Mayor Shari Green and councillors Murry Krause and Lyn Hall - on Sept. 12 to inform them he would be stepping down as the chairperson.
"They agreed that my stepping down would be an appropriate measure and supported me remaining on the committee," said Stolz. That action will go into effect during the next committee meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Removing himself from the head of the table that takes the first step in approving financial matters such as setting property tax rates was appropriate given an understanding eyebrows could be raised, according to Stolz.
"I think when you're in a position of authority as a chair of a committee, concerns can be raised because of the situation I'm in," he said. "And I thought it was best to alleviate those concerns."
