Editor:
Fact: Residential makes up 85 per cent of the District of Sechelt’s property tax base. In the past few years, property assessments have been rapidly rising and now the mayor and his council are proposing another increase in property taxes to the tune of 7.7 per cent!
The residential tax burden on the community is clearly out of whack and can be attributed to the ineptitude of the stewards of our community, the mayor and council. Why is there not a concentrated effort by council to get out there and promote commercial growth in the area to diversify the tax base?
Do the mayor and his council need a few ideas? Here are two that may be worth looking into.
Promote Sechelt as the incredible destination area that boasts world-class hiking, biking, ocean and its natural beauty. There are plentiful and incredibly interesting high tech start-ups coming out of UBC and SFU struggling to find a cost-effective base in the crazy Vancouver real estate market – reach out to this growing sector. Its a win-win for thoughtful growth – new, diverse industries contributing to the tax base, creating full and part-time jobs resulting in money spent at the downtown community merchants.
Tired of the status quo in the leadership of our community? I am! Where is the next mayor?
Joseph Sawer, Sechelt
