Dear Editor,
[RE: A new Maple Ridge city council could kibosh recreation facilities, The News on Friday, July 17]
In regards to the article stating the mayor is “willing to die politically on recreation hill,” I have a couple of comments and one suggestion.
Regardless of where you stand on this issue, as to whether it is a good idea or not to spend $393 million at this time on new recreational facilities, I am always wary when politicians, especially this mayor and his slate on council start throwing numbers around.
This council, despite their pre-election promises of sustainable growth, is on the fast track to unfettered growth and development for Maple Ridge that equals and surpasses efforts by previous councils – spending your money is no object.
Based on history, you can be pretty well assured that the $393 million budget will balloon, and that the three-per-cent property tax for four years will still be there after the four years.
And good luck trying to find out any information regarding costs related to this and other projects.
My suggestion is that if the mayor is prepared to die politically on this issue, perhaps he could make another bold decision.
During the past several years he has been collecting tens of thousands of additional taxpayer dollars sitting on multiple Metro Vancouver committees.
He collects these fees representing Maple Ridge on these committees, for which he already receives a salary paid for by Maple Ridge residents.
Metro Vancouver “requires” that committee members accept payments for attending these meetings. So instead of pocketing these dollars, perhaps he – and the other members of council who receive these funds – could direct them to this proposal and show residents that they believe enough in this project to boldly commit these double-dipping funds to the cause.
Dennis Kinsey, Maple Ridge
RELATED: City of Maple Ridge considering new $393M recreation proposal