The mayor is out of the country on vacation, but is reportedly being given daily updates

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Given trash pick-up by the City of Vancouver has been slower than usual during the snowfall, the opposition NPA is calling for a partial property tax rebate.

The particulars of what dollar figure or percentage would be handed back to taxpayers would be left to staff, according to NPA City Councillor Melissa De Genova, who plans to make this request to look into that possibility as part of a larger motion calling for an inquiry into the city’s handling of the snow clean-up.

“Why didn’t we plan for this?” asks De Genova. “Why did we not start stockpiling road salt? We certainly have the real estate for it in industrial areas and fenced off land that the city owns.”

Newsflash #Vision road salt doesn’t expire! #vancouver needed 2 kept supply after 2009 storm. We plan 4 earthquakes, why not snow? #vanpoli — Melissa De Genova (@MelissaDeGenova) January 5, 2017

Her fellow NPA Councillor George Affleck is being particularly critical of Mayor Gregor Robertson, who is out of the country on vacation. “When people vote for the mayor, they vote for the leader of the city, and they want that person to take a leadership role when we have these sorts of crises,” says Affleck.

However, Vision City Councillor Geoff Meggs says just because the mayor is away, doesn’t necessarily mean he is out of reach. “The mayor’s getting daily updates from his senior staff. He is updated what the situation is on the ground, and the steps being taken by staff to deal with it,” explains Meggs.

As for De Genova’s call for a tax rebate of some sort, Meggs calls that proposal “baffling,” arguing the NPA calls for lower taxes generally — which he suggests would bring a lower level of services.