Editor:
My taxes on my little household in West Sechelt are almost double what they would be in a similar house in similar circumstances in North Saanich. Our ferries are packed with weekenders and vacationers who come up here for holidays and outdoor experiences complete with a trunkload of Costco supplies. These visitors are an untapped revenue source.
My suggestion would be a Sunshine Coast User’s Fee that is attached to the ferry fare of anyone without an address here. The money would go into an infrastructure fund/heritage fund that could be used to pay for parks and trail maintenance, cleanup, bicycle paths and anything else that is suffering here from too many people and not enough money. Perhaps the collected money might actually be used to help fund the digging of a deeper hole to keep the water in and provide some relief for water taxes?
Some sort of user’s permit like a U.S. Customs boat tag or a park’s user fee would go a long way to lessening the burden on resident taxpayers. Or we could install turnstiles like many European tourist destinations have done to collect infrastructure fees and control access, with fees for photographs. Workers and businesses would be exempt and the fee would target visitors only.
Economists would use the expression “The tragedy of the commons” to explain why people who come here for recreation rarely contribute to help with the upkeep of the facilities that they use.
I think it’s time to ask all visitors to contribute.
Ken Dibnah, West Sechelt
