Dear Editor:
Re: City of North Vancouver Seeks Voter Approval to Borrow $55.7M
Can City of North Vancouver taxpayers afford to borrow $55.7 million?
The city wants to borrow $55.7 million without allowing the taxpayers a chance to vote. Can we allow this to happen?
If you live in the City of North Vancouver or know people who do, please get a copy of the Alternative Approval Process Response Form Resident Elector.
The city put a notice in the North Shore News in mid-March without any follow up or mailed-out notices and now requires an in-person delivery or Canada Post delivery, of a signed form by April 22 at 5 p.m., otherwise they will consider you to be a Yes vote.
Unfortunately, I was away when it was published in the North Shore News.
If 10 per cent (4,233) or more of the estimated number of electors of the City of North Vancouver sign an Alternative Approval Process Elector Response Form opposing the proposed bylaw, city council will not be able to proceed without then receiving the assent of the electors by vote.
I don’t approve of the process and have spoken to many of my neighbours. I understand that they too think the process is underhanded at best.
The present mayor and councillors will proceed with borrowing $55.7 million at our expense if we don’t submit the signed No form by April 22. We will be paying increased taxes for many, many generations to come.
I urge you and your neighbours to personally deliver or use Canada Post to send your signed forms to city hall as soon as possible, and definitely before April 22. They do not accept emailed forms. They are trying to make it as difficult as possible, so they can proceed without proper consultation or allowing the taxpayers an opportunity to vote.
We are a very small city, only five square miles with a population of 42,325 electors.
How can we afford to borrow $55.7 million?
I have been a resident and tax paying citizen of the City of North Vancouver since 1977.
J. Craig
North Vancouver
Dear Editor:
In taking the time to personally deliver my and my husband’s completed Alternative Approval Process Elector Response Form today to city hall, I was dismayed that there was no lockbox, no recording of receipt of the two forms, nothing to note that we had taken the time to complete and submit these forms.
This is exceptionally poor practice on behalf of the CNV. How are the citizens of the CNV supposed to have confidence that the CNV has accurately accounted for all submitted forms?
The very pleasant young man who took them from me confirmed we would get no receipt. What’s to prevent these very important tools of our democracy from being misplaced, lost or simply recycled?
The mayor, councillors, chief administrator office and city clerk owe a duty of care to their citizens in this process and it is not being upheld. I don’t know if Elections BC or the UBCM ombudsman can intervene, but if so, they should.
The projects proposed have value and merit. The significant debt being proposed is too high risk for the CNV. This amount of debt, with no cost-to-build guarantees provided, is beyond the CNV’s purview.
I have contacted city staff and the mayor to address this very poor process.
Andrea Mary Herz
North Vancouver
