Surrey Board of Trade Comments on City of Surrey Financial Plan

The letter below was sent to the City of Surrey:

City of Surrey 2012 Budget and 2012-2016 Financial Plan – Observations from the Surrey Board of Trade

First, we wish to congratulate the Members of Surrey’s City Council on their recent election. As always, we look forward to working closely with Council over the next 3 years.

The Surrey Board of Trade, an independent business lobbying voice, since 1918, offers our assessment of the City of Surrey’s 2012 Budget plus the 2012-2016 Financial Plan (General Operation, Utilities and Capital Program). As each Chamber and Board of Trade, around the world, is mandated to do, we review public sector spending, and where appropriate, suggest ways to maximize productivity of the local economy and encourage growth in the private sector.

We represent over 3,600 business contacts, which in turn we estimate represents over 31,000 employees. We hope our letter on the City’s Fiscal 2012 Financial Plans are received on the basis that we continue to be genuinely interested in your budget affairs as it aligns with the attraction of new investment in Surrey, as we collaboratively look for ways to further meet the needs of our business community.  

To prepare for this report, our Finance & Tax Team met with Vivienne Wilke, General Manager, Finance & Technology and continued to have ongoing discussion on the following aspects of our observations. Further, these messages are approved by the Surrey Board of Trade Directors.

MESSAGE #1:

Growth of Expenses relative to Population Growth

- Fiscal Responsibility

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Surrey Board of Trade Recommends that Gaming Funding be Increased to $156 million

MEDIA RELEASE - January 13, 2012

Following this weeks announcement, the Surrey Board of Trade supports re-establishing the Community Gaming grant money to a base of $135 million following the severe cuts instituted last year.

“These gaming monies are critical in providing services which would otherwise be too expensive to be provided directly by the government,” said Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, “and represent a substantial part of the economy in terms of putting money directly in to the economy while providing a large number of jobs, which in turn, stimulate the economy further.”

The Surrey Board of Trade recommends that, when the economic climate allows, the Gaming Funding amount should be increased to the $156 million recommended by the Skip Triplett report, as part of the Community Gaming Consultation that took place in 2011. The Surrey Board of Trade supports and appreciates the analysis and options put forward in the report.

We are concerned that the decision has been made to increase the number of organizations eligible for funding while making no allowance for these increased demands on the available money. This announcement does not return to the original base funding in 2008. The Surrey Board of Trade urges the government to restore and build on this relative balance as the economy improves.

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Surrey Board of Trade Applauds Tax Review Panel

MEDIA RELEASE - JANUARY 12, 2012

The announcement that a panel of experts has been appointed to review BC ‘s business tax structure and make recommendations on simplifying the system is welcome news to Surrey’s largest business advocacy organization.

 “It’s a good day when government looks at simplifying its tax regime and we certainly welcome that,” said Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade. “We have a small concern that the mandate of the committee appears not to offer any mechanism for input, but given the short time lines, if that is planned for a later stage in the process, we will be fine with that.”

 “We are certainly willing and able to assist the panel or participate in any future processes in bringing a simpler business tax system into play,” said Huberman. “The sooner we can get this done and the HST removal accomplished, the better it will be, not just for the business community, but for the entire province. We also need to have the Transitional rules back to PST/GST.”

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 Contact:

Anita Huberman, CEO
Surrey Board of Trade
604.581.7130
anita@businessinsurrey.com



SBOT Gives Surrey Food Bank Over $2800 and 700 Pounds of Food

Marilyn Herrmann, Executive Director, Surrey Food Bank and Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of TradeMEDIA RELEASE - December 9, 2011

The Surrey Board of Trade, at its annual Seasonal Sizzle Business Networking Reception on December 7th, gave the Surrey Food Bank over $2800 and 700 pounds of food.
Over 450 business people attended this annual Christmas event, and donated either cash or food.

"Thank you to all the businesses that attended this annual Christmas event for the business community. The Surrey Food Bank's line up's are increasing each year unfortunately. Businesses have a role to give back to the community and help those in need", said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.

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For more information, contact:
Anita Patil Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade
 - An Accredited Chamber of Commerce with Distinction from the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada
Direct: 604-634-0342
Email: anita@businessinsurrey.com