Randy Caine (for mayor) – No. But I believe open, fair, honest community dialogue on the pros and cons of amalgamation is long overdue.
Dave Hall – No. There is no reason to suggest that bigger is better. One only need look at the amalgamated School District to see what chaos a Township dominated governance body would do (poorly envisioned restructuring and accumulated debt). The City is debt free and despite the Townships rejection of the opportunity for a Casino years ago there are those that look enviously on the City’s revenue source. He City has its own priorities and certainly as a separate entity can pursue things like a fabulous Timms Community Center, a superior level of street maintenance and snow removal, a superior response to MESA calls by the fire service, and pursue infrastructure and development renewal in a manner that avoids many of the pitfalls experienced in the Township.
Nathan Pachal – No. I’ve done some research on this. Financially, amalgamation drives up property tax for all taxpayers. Larger municipalities are more bureaucratic. Larger municipalities also makes it harder to have a voice as a citizen. I can call the Mayor of Langley up any day and get a meeting within a week. Could the same be said if I was living in the City of Vancouver?
Carla Robin – No. I oppose amalgamation. Many years ago, the Township was approached regarding the casino. They hesitated and the City gladly snapped it up. The current drive for amalgamation centres around control of the casino revenue. Quite frankly, those revenues would not be directed to the benefit of the City’s growth and residents as they currently are. They would be distributed to other areas and the City would not receive the benefit it receives now to plan for the future.
Rudy Stoorteboom – No. The Big Question only needs a small answer but, like so many of these 20 questions, there’s much to be considered: The City of Langley is independent yet, we are already together with other municipalities as a member of Metro Vancouver. We have reasonable access to all services and rates provided for the region. We are debt free! This is an especially unique value for government! Not burdened by debt, we have resources to provide better and more for City residents. We are fully developed. While neighbouring municipalities are focused on new “green field†development, Langley City is winning national awards for “brown field†re-development and for business too. Our municipal staff count is appropriate to our population. The City of Langley is especially proactive and responsive to service requests because our area is very manageable and our personnel are second to none. We have a positive relationship with our neighbours in the Township. While we are separate, we still work together. We communicate, compare and compete to do the best for our respective communities and our region. There are NO significant benefits or cost savings in being absorbed by the Township of Langley or the City of Surrey.