We have a group of naysayers who voted council down on a $2-million grant for the expansion of Grant Road, sidewalks and street lights. Are these same people now demanding these same amenities which, thanks to them, now have to come out of my taxes and yours?
Is this the same group who had the 21-year sewer contract scrapped (21-year service contracts are the norm all across Canada) enabling future expansion and planning? Our Kaltasin pen -insula sorely needs to be added to the sewer system to alleviate the problems they endure during the heavy rains. That is not now even a possibility for five years.
I have lived in Sooke since 1988, and my taxes have not gone up 65 per cent. With some investigation I believe this figure was arrived at looking at a period of six years beginning with an assessment on an uncompleted dwelling to a two-storey home with a full finished basement six years later.
One should bear in mind that property assessments are done by the BC Assessment Authority, not the District of Sooke. DOS is only responsible for the mill rate.
In a study of 15 communities of similar size in B.C., DOS was one of the five in the CRD looked at. The findings were: residential taxes in 2006 and 2010 were the second lowest and business taxes in 2006 were fourth lowest and in 2010 third lowest.
The number of staff for a community of this size was the lowest of the 15 communities and having the third largest geographical area.
Misinformation abounds out there, so do your homework folks, and do get out and vote.
C. Pinalski
Sooke