Editor:
The taxpayers in the District of Sechelt should all be seriously concerned about the unnecessary spending by our council and the increase in taxes as a result.
The latest approval by council of the $3-million loan to build a new operations centre was categorized by council as having received public approval. It did not receive public approval. What it did receive is the disapproval of 509 taxpayers who were aware of the process.
There was no public hearing held. Developments in Sechelt often get rejected by council and sent back to the developers for costly revision based on only a handful of public concerns. In the case of the operations centre, in spite of 509 formal votes of rejection by the public, this development was approved.
Next on the district and SCRD agenda is another AAP for a $7.25-million loan for water meters in the District of Sechelt and the SIG District. This request was rejected by the taxpayers only a few years ago.
All this spending while the Trail Bay Boulevard along the waterfront has huge potholes where hundreds of people, mostly seniors, walk every day.
Based on a comparison of existing houses assessed at around $620,000, the Sechelt tax burden is about 58 per cent higher than the average paid in other jurisdictions on the Sunshine Coast.
As I said, the taxpayers in the District of Sechelt should all be seriously concerned.
Bob Michor, Sechelt
