Dear Editor:
As our property assessments have arrived, I presume our various North Shore councils will be increasing our property taxes, as is usually the case.
However, I believe that our property taxes should be decreasing.
Let us look at the situation where a plot of land was occupied by four or five single-family dwellings. These were demolished and a highrise containing approximately 64 suites was built on this same plot of land. The owners of these suites have to pay property taxes. Multiply this by the number of highrises and condominiums built in the last few years and the increases to the municipal coffers must be huge. (This is not counting the developers fees, which must be substantial.)
Is it going to infrastructure? Apart from extending the corners at intersections, constructing roundabouts (which must be a nightmare for truck drivers) and providing cycle lanes, I see very little to warrant an increase in our taxes.
The above are supposed to be for pedestrian safety, and yet, from my observations, street lighting is a major concern for both drivers and pedestrians. Drive down St. Georges Avenue on a dark, rainy night and you will be lucky if you can see some of the marked crosswalks.
The dash into density, is in my opinion the main cause of traffic problems on the North Shore. As I mentioned at the beginning, you cannot replace five houses with 64 suites and not expect a huge increase in vehicles just from that one plot of land.
Apart from the new Keith Road Bridge (which I believe was funded through us via TransLink) just where are our taxes going??? And where will our traffic nightmare end???
I am sure that turning the North Shore into a traffic-snarled mini Manhattan is not what the original residents envisaged or wanted.
An explanation from the powers that be as to where our taxes are going would be welcome.
John Rowlands
North Vancouver
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
