Taxes are up as police costs soar
Ken Sim and the VPD are defunding Vancouver
Ken Sim funds VPD’s ballooning budget while squeezing libraries and freezing climate spending
This week Ken Sim and ABC passed a budget for the City of Vancouver that saw taxes hiked to pay for the ballooning budget of the already overfunded Vancouver Police Department.
Given Sim and his party were endorsed by the police union, the carte blanche given to the VPD’s spending whims isn’t surprising. The only surprising thing was that Ken Sim got away with blatantly misleading voters by pretending he would magically increase the police budget without either increasing property taxes or cutting services.
While many of Sim’s right-leaning supporters are up in arms over the 10.7% property tax hike, the real story is what the budget tells us about the skewed priorities of ABC and the city establishment that it represents. While the police got everything they asked for, an amendment put forward by OneCity councillor Christine Boyle to fully fund a Vancouver Public Library request to hire social workers and community outreach workers was defeated by ABC.
Readers are encouraged to read for themselves the full, amended budget that passed this week. The document includes forecasts for spending in upcoming budget years, and these numbers are revealing. Already more than 20% of the nearly $2 billion annual budget for the city, by the end of Ken Sim’s term in office the VPD is slated to eat up $438 million a year – while funding for services like public libraries will remain nearly frozen at much lower levels. To put this in perspective, just a decade ago, in 2013, the VPD managed to get by on a mere $232 million budget.
It’s never been more clear that the police and their establishment parties like ABC are defunding us.
This year’s budget priorities reflect the political reality in Vancouver after last year’s municipal elections. In many ways the 2022 municipal election cycle was dominated by a coordinated media and police lobby PR campaign urging more spending on police and, in many cases, stigmatization against communities already facing systemic overpolicing and underfunding of vital public services. In fact, Vancouver is already near the top of Canadian cities when it comes to per capita spending on the police. Throwing good money after bad will do nothing to improve the safety and security of working class and marginalized communities in Vancouver.
Municipal news round-up
Women Transforming Cities writes an open letter to Vancouver City Council stating, “A city's operational budget is the most important decision a council makes. Motions can suggest priorities, but programs and policies aren't possible without funding to make them happen. In response to concerns from front-line organizations and community members,WTC along with 14 other organizations wrote an open letter to Vancouver City Council urging them to reinvest in equity in the 2023 operating budget.”
COPE approves a campaign to oppose Cuts and Closures to Vancouver Schools stating “VSB Senior Management is pushing school closures and program cuts to solve the school district’s budget woes while senior management positions and salaries continue to balloon. We need to act fast to oppose actions that will harm students.”
Upcoming Events
Featuring: International Women’s Day
In addition to regular local and international news and analysis, The Thorn also aims to amplify important social movement events and activities.
Comedy in the Forecast #3 - International Women's Day Edition
After 2 sold out shows at Forecast Coffee, we're back with a special International Women's Day all-female line up of comics! 2980 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 3G3, Canada
International Working Women's Day Panel
WORKING WOMEN OF THE WORLD, UNITE! On March 3rd & March 11th, join various organization in celebrating IWWD with a panel discussion & rally! 312 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2, Canada
Solidarity Night on International Women's Day
A night of connection, solidarity and laughter (158 kB) 23 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1S9, Canada
Equality Breakfast on March 8, back in person at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver! You won't want to miss the keynote by Dorothy Roberts, the acclaimed author and scholar of race, gender, and law. On International Women's Day, let's come together in support of transformative social change and gender justice.
Or Festival: 10 Minute Plays by Vancouver Artists
March 8-11 | Multiple Times | Jericho Arts Centre
The World Premiere of ten original 10 minute plays written, dramaturged, directed and acted by local Vancouver artists. Join us for the fun! The evening continues long after the last actor has left the stage! This is the 4th year of the Or Festival. We are thrilled to be presented by Fabulist Theatre.
Media Roundup
How Plastic Words Mask Reality - Latest example: The BC government’s reluctance to say ‘oil and gas.’ The Tyee.
Utopia, not futurism: Why doing the impossible is the most rational thing we can do - This 1978 speech by Murray Bookchin is strikingly relevant today