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Reposted by isabella zavarise

CTV News Vancouver @ctvnewsvancouver.bsky.social · 7h

Vancouver council votes for 0 per cent property tax increase in 2026

Vancouver city council has voted to advise staff to prepare a draft budget for 2026 to identify around $120 million in savings in order to freeze property tax rates.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

We are now talking about bitcoin for a bit. Back to motion. Fry calls the motion reckless. Sim gets last word. He doesn’t not support 6-7 percent property tax increase. Ok vote now: motion passes.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Sim giving final comments. A lot going on. Doubles down on zero means zero. He brings up that Bligh invests in bitcoin. Says non abc councillors support a 6-7 property tax increase. Bligh is now responding bc her personal investments were brought up. She says has every right to invest her personal $

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

She adds the motion will not gut vital services.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

SKY says she thinks this motion will recalibrate city spending. Says it will support small business, livability and modernize city services.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

It fails.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Orr has another amendment !! That the budget prioritize cuts to the mayors office and communication budget.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Bligh and Fry support the deferral. Orr says they already passed the previous motion in June that gave property tax scenarios. Deferral motion fails.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

City manager says survey results are being analyzed and will likely be published in November.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Orr wants to know how many people filled out budget survey. Wants to defer motion until these results are received.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Orr is now tabling another amendment changing zero to 6-7 percent property tax. Says average savings of sims motion per month is 24 dollars per single family home owner and 8 dollars per month for a condo owner. Amendment fails.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Orr has included a long list of things he wants prioritized: public washrooms, child care supports etc. amendment fails.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 22h

Amendment did not pass. Orr says he thinks it’s egregious the budget survey results weren’t included. He’s now tabling an amendment.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Sim says he won’t support the amendment. City manager says should motion pass in order to begin the work there will not be a line by line item in November or December. They will instead commit to regular updates.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Fry says we know we’re looking at significant cost pressures that are unavoidable. Says he thinks it’s important as we do this that we have transparency. He’s now pulled out the ABC platform and is reading from it.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Bligh wants to see what the new forecasted revenue generating decisions under mayor sim that will be coming forward.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

“The city is not a business,” Bligh says. Believe there should be moderate tax increases around 3-4 percent that match inflation.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Bligh says this motion has no facts right now and that Frys third amendment provides that.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Fry’s second amendment around street sweep grants did not pass. Third amendment is about clarity on service cuts or staffing with this motion. Bligh speaking in support. “This revenue has to come from somewhere”. She’s referring to the 100 million in cuts this will amount to.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 23h

Coun. Fry has tabled three amendments. The first passed to highlight arts and culture grants.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 1d

Another speaker opposed to the motion and bringing up the rally and Sims tweet. She asks sim if he’s tired of getting ratioed on twitter by Orr. Coun. Zhou trying to interrupt her and now telling people it’s a serious environment.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 1d

Speakers have been mixed with support (mainly from business community). Those against were the union representing city workers and one business owner who called out the mayor for his tweet at Coun. Orr this past weekend ab speaking at the rally for Palestine. He was told to stay on topic.

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isabella zavarise @isabellazavarise.bsky.social · 1d

Mayor Sim’s zero means zero motion has been tabled. 43 speakers signed up. According to Sim, this means a zero percent property tax increase. No infrastructure tax increase.

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Reposted by isabella zavarise

CTV News Vancouver @ctvnewsvancouver.bsky.social · 1d

Vancouver Park Board seeks legal advice over commissioner’s absence record

The Vancouver Park Board has voted to direct staff to seek legal advice on whether a commissioner’s absentee record could be deemed “disqualifying.”

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Reposted by isabella zavarise

CTV News Vancouver @ctvnewsvancouver.bsky.social · 5d

Programs on the chopping block as B.C. charities face funding crisis

Many who work in B.C.’s non-profit industry say they’re grappling with a decline in donations paired with a growing demand for their services – forcing them to make challenging financial decisions.

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