Election Time in North Saanich

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Re:  North Saanich District Council 

In my view, the Council of the District of North Saanich has become arrogant, dictatorial, unfair, and has created inflexible rules and regulations, has established a budget that is totally unrealistic, and has increased taxation along with user fees that are onerous.

I have lived in North Saanich at the above address for some 35 years, and have seen the District go from a happy place with low taxes, with adequate services, to one where the District thinks we live in the City of Vancouver. We are but a population of some 10 to 12 thousand people, and frankly we cannot afford the 'Rolls Royce' cost of District bureaucrats, the silly projects like bike lanes, or the so called ignorance of the 'down loaded' social services programs. Likewise, the chaos that is global warming and the response of municipalities is equally nonsense and ill conceived. Red tape processes accompanied by unjustified fees and a preponderance of rules and regulations have become problematic. Budget wise, the District is in serious debt as a result of self inflicted stupidity, and yet, the District ignores the debt and decides to add new projects along with huge costs.

What I want:

1.     Property Taxes - for both Business and Residents reduced by 30%.

a.     Property taxation in North Saanich has escalated more than 100% since 2005. This coupled with the advances in CRD taxation, has become problematic, especially for those on fixed incomes.

2.     User Fees - reduced by 50%

a.     The District for some reason has imposed user fees for almost all services. I know longer know what actual services the District provides in return for property taxes we pay, other than to award District Bureaucrats with overly ambitions salaries and benefits. Never the less, user fees applied by the District, indeed quoted penalties are way, way too high.

3.     Bureaucrats - salaries and benefits reduced by 27%; an reduction in the number of Directors in favour of Managers level pay.

a.     I strongly oppose the current method of establishing salaries and benefits for District Bureaucrats. It seems that the only criteria is what are other Local governments pay then clone that amount. Local government employees are NOT managers of large programs, in fact in North Saanich they are really, really small. We just pay too much for services rendered and therefore such must be adjusted downwards.

b.     The number of Bureaucrats appointed as Directors and paid for that status is just too many. Given the size of North Saanich, there should be but one Director, and that is the Chief Administration Officer, the rest should be devalued to Managers.

4.     Water Rates - rates for water have increased faster than Star Treks warp drive! The CRD bulk rate is 79 cents/m3, North Saanich charges a massive $1.42 / m3. There is no justification other than to scam Property owners. District water rates should not be any more than 10% more than the bulk rate.

5.     Contractors - The District seems to use contractors for everything, especially studies that cost a fortune. This tells me that we have incompetent bureaucrats. There needs to be a complete review of the use of contractors with a major focus to reduce dependancy.

6.     Commissions - The District has appointed a plethora of Commissions/Boards. Each of these Commissions for some reason have to vet anything that is requested by a Resident or Developer. This adds significant time to get any decision, adds enormous cost to any project small or large and is completely red tape oriented. I would like to see that majority of Commissions/Boards abolished.

7.     Social Services - I strongly oppose the recent practice of Local governments into the realm of social services. Citizens are already paying high taxes to support the prime Federal and Provincial organizations directly responsible for social services. The only thing Local governments should be involved in is zoning, and compliance with standard codes. Food banks, support of homeless housing should NOT be entertained.

8.     Cycle lanes - are a 'nice to have' NOT essential in North Saanich. The current projects should be held back until essential projects like water infrastructure, roads and other essential needs are met. Besides, the majority of people using these cycle lanes are not even North Saanich residents.

9.     Parks - the last Council created a Parks Commission who promoted a several million dollar parks enhancement program. I strongly oppose the parks plan, indeed even the need for a special Parks Commission. Even the Bureaucrats opposed the plan and even questioned the apparent process.  The entire parks plan should be held in abeyance until essential things are accomplished, and certainly until 'existing' parks are dealt with.

10. Fire Department - while fire departments are certainly needed, the current expenditure to support the fire department is totally out of control. $18,000 plus, for two vehicle mounted computers is outrageous. Training towers for the NSFD is nonsense given the number of members. A 'free pub' on fire department premises is wrong.

11. Municipal Equipment - The District over the last several years have embarked on 'Cadillac' equipment purchases. Trucks and ancillary equipment are way over specified for what we require. Office equipment, computers, computer software and such have consumed huge tax payer dollars.  There needs to be a full review, and much better justification before purchase.

12. Zoning Bylaws - are fraught with minutia and red tape with way too many restrictions. The document needs to be simplified and made much more flexible.

13. Capital Regional District - I have little respect for the CRD and frankly would rather see the Saanich Peninsula/Islands form their own Regional District. The CRD is not interested in rural periphery and is dominated by politicians from Victoria, Oak Bay, Saanich, Esquimalt, and the Western Communities. The voice of North Saanich, Central Saanich, Sidney and the Gulf Islands is muted and mostly meaningless. Further, the CRD wastes so much taxpayer dollars such is beyond comprehension. The CRD in my view should be nothing more than a provider of water, refuse processing and not much more.

14.  Racetrack - The District should only zone this location for agricultural use, period. WE do NOT need another fair grounds or farm demonstration project on this Pennisula; they already exist. The race track should be sold for farming perposes. The last Council agreed to deal with pollution issues at a cost of between $500,000 plus and that was truly ignorant. The last plan I saw was to sell a portion for commercial use; and that is equally ignorant. Even the Town of Sidney is opposed.

15. Carbon Tax - the District should just refuse to pay this flawed and useless tax.

16. Transit Services - various transit plans for the District has proven that such services are not  viable and they never will be for a very long time. I fully OPPOSE the notion that transit service be controlled by the CRD. Such MUST remain the domain of the PROVINCE.

17. Refuse Collection - The District has provided a facility for garden waste, and that is good. However, 'how to get the garden waste to the facility'?  The District needs to establish a 'quarterly' pickup service for residents to pick up wind fall and other garden waste. This type of program is way more important than cycle lanes or new parks.

18. Burning Regulations - the current burning regulations for the District are too restrictive, and are allowed in the wrong season. Residents should be allowed to burn refuse at any time of the year provided they have an approved burning receptacle. The need to acquire an annual permit is ridiculous; once the outside burning appliance or location is approved, then annual inspections and fees,  should not be required.

19.  Chickens/Fowl - The newly applied bylaw dealing with residential chicken coops, size of lot, and restrictions on the number of chickens one can have are totally stupid. This needs review and many amendments.

a.     A one acre lot should not be restricted to just 10 hens;

b.     Specifications for the Coop are fully nonsense, and needs way more flexibility.

c.     There is no differentiation for the type of fowl, e.g. common chicken versus quail

20. Pesticides - I SUPPORT the use of pesticides and fully object to government intrusion into the way that I as a property owner manage my land.

21. Property Rights - Government at all levels are imposing rules and regulations that abrogate my right as a property owner. The notion that I must be managed by Municipal authorites on what I do with trees on my land I consider a intrusion, the notion that I must tender a tree doctor report before I remove a tree is lunacy. Zoning and land use bylaws are also abrogating my freedoms.

What was once a very fine district to live in has become one where freedoms have been narrowed, where normal things that one does are being trounced on, and where District Councils use to focus on low taxes has become one of wild expenditure and high taxation  for the sake of expenditure. Municipal governments should only focus on infrastructure to support the residents; they should NOT be in the business of social services. In the last several years the District of North Saanich has been dominated by a bunch of hardcore environmentalists, Rule making socialists and a bureaucratic organization that demands red tape, inflexibility and a thirst of expending money beyond comprehension. Time to get back to basics!