Editor:
I hope the new Sechelt council recognizes that the proposed increase of 11.81 per cent put forth by staff is completely unrealistic. The goal of personnel working for them is always to increase the size of the bureaucracy. Any new positions deemed necessary should come at the expense of positions deemed superfluous or at least less necessary.
Mr. Eckford’s article in the Dec. 14 edition of Coast Reporter states that the final District of Sechelt 2018 budget saw an increase of 5.78 per cent from the previous year, yet my net property tax went up 14 per cent, possibly because all other levels of government involved in property tax assessments also had substantial increases.
My suggestion is that the new council for Sechelt and the new SCRD board pass motions limiting annual property tax increases to the adjusted cost of living. If they need direction they should refer to the City of Edmonton, which just passed a similar motion, limiting increases to 2.6 per cent for each of the next four years.
Ron Howes, Sechelt
