Getting something new is wonderful. What’s terrible is owning something that’s new no longer. That’s when repair bills for leaks, chips, rust, dents, peeling paint, shifting foundations and corroding machinery have to be reckoned with.
Sure, prudent money managers will have budgeted for those possibilities, but many folks will find themselves scrambling in a crisis.
Turns out it’s not so different in the municipal world.
As was revealed in a report last week, seeing no evil and hoping someone else will pay the bill have proved popular approaches to deteriorating West Vancouver assets. But staff was on hand to throw cold water on the do-nothing approach recently.
Bridges that are falling down make good nursery rhymes but are frowned upon when it comes to public safety.
There are reasons West Van finds itself in the situation it does, despite being among the most affluent municipalities in the country. For a long while, the political environment in West Van reflected the view that raising taxes is akin to consorting with the devil.
Shiny new things are political positives. Bills to maintain them are not.
Then there are the gifts that keep giving – property given to the municipality without any money to pay for upkeep.
Exploring ways for user groups to help pay for facilities makes sense. But that’s unlikely to solve the larger issue.
Council will soon have to decide what’s worth fixing and what isn’t – decisions that are bound to upset someone.
Council dodged decision time this round. But this issue, much like the assets in question, simply can’t wait much longer.
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