Editor:
Re: Metro approves 25 per cent regional tax increase (Optimist, Nov. 7)
First, thank you to Mr. Wood for his excellent article outlining a record setting tax increase. If Deltans haven’t read his article they really should because they are going to pay about $136 more, or 20 per cent, in tax for 15 years due to the incompetence at Metro Vancouver. The tax increase is in addition to the City of Delta tax increase proposed at 6.75 percent. The North Shore Wastewater Plant (NSWP) project is a project that seems to have been mismanaged for years.
Despite the North Shore mayors trying to have the board reduce their share of the tax increase, the board defeated the motion.
Has the board heard the phrase “no taxation without representation?”
Did Metro Vancouver arrange a referendum on this record setting tax increase? Did each municipality arrange taxpayer feedback sessions? The answer to these questions is no.
The board has hired a retired judge to do a review of the NSWP project. Sounds good, but wait, that means Metro Vancouver decides who to hire, decides who the judge will meet and sets the scope of the review. That is not an independent review.
Meanwhile, taxpayers boil at the huge increase in taxes. What to do?
One option is for Delta council to follow the path set by the District of North Vancouver who recently asked the province for a public inquiry into the whole mess. Does our council have the courage to do this for their taxpayers?
Another option is for taxpayers in Burnaby to force their council to vote to remove chair and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley. When Mr. Hurley is replaced, a new chair is appointed and then is also removed by the next city council, and so on. Maybe this action will send a message to Metro Vancouver from us taxpayers who are without representation.
Keith Munro
