Dear Editor,
Everyone has to share in doing less stuff during these hard times. People are struggling to buy groceries, paying extra due to the carbon tax, and for housing to mention a few. The list is very long when we talk about the lack of affordability in this province. Now taxpayers are facing close to double digit property tax hikes, and the TOL is spending on capital projects using the alternative approval process.
The TOL council was successful in passing a referendum for a $15 million Brookswood firehall recently using this same alternative approval process. We already had a Brookswood firehall which could have been upgraded for much less than building a new one. Instead we will have two, one firehall and one training hall.
The TOL council wants to borrow $49.49 million over 25 years to build LEC underground parking, two dry arenas stacked above two ice arenas, creation of dedicated user groups offices/storage along with four other line items with this borrowed money.
This alternate approval process is flawed. It puts the onus on taxpayers to be aware of what the TOL is up to and then to ask for a Elector Response Form to cast a no vote which must be received in this case by March 7 at the municipal hall. Only original signed forms will be counted.
By the way, it only takes 10 per cent or 9,639 elector no votes to defeat the process. Just think of the cost of staff, paper, then mailing out ballots to 10,000 people. Either a mass mailing to all taxpayers or set up a voting process like during an election would be a fairer process.
The Alternative Approval Process notice is published once each week for two consecutive weeks with the second publication being at least 30 days before the deadline. You will find this notice in small print in the Township News and Events under public notice. Too bad if you do not read the Langley Advance Times or take notice of the Public Notice. Your going to pay more taxes.
In this, case millions of dollars are spent for a select group to get new arenas. Perhaps we should be supporting this with ticket sales or another funding model by groups using these facilities and not tax dollars.
Is the TOL council in the business of corporate welfare, raising taxes on citizens then picking select businesses that should be the beneficiary of these tax dollars? How many arenas do we actually need to service Langley citizens? Further, it will need staff and additional expenses to run these facilities which may not be included in the future spending budgets at this time.
I urge the TOL council to cut spending so you can reduce taxes for everyone, whether owners or businesses. Enough already.
A concerned senior
Lu Gaudet, Brookswood
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• READ MORE: Township fire training could move to Brookswood’s old fire hall site
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