Dear Editor
I want to congratulate you on publishing a great letter by Elias B. Merkins on Nov. 2, headlined Dense, Dense Revolution.
The points are excellent, but I would even go one step further and ask what happens if the real estate market does not improve? On my small section of street there are eight condos for sale and now we are looking at a range of between seven and nine months that they have been sitting there. All around the North Shore the "for sale" signs are not only popping up, they are staying up.
Perhaps our elected officials are going to have to find another way to get the amenities that communities want. For example, in the city there is a huge need for a new Harry Jerome Community Centre. Looking through the budget I am sure there are many ways savings can be made. How about freezing the wages of the 151 people making between $75,000 and just under $300,000? What about looking at some very frivolous expenditures under the Schedule of Suppliers of Goods and Services which totals $65,000,000? Do we need to spend $100,000 every summer for a handful of entertainers at the pier when there is great entertainment right next door at the quay? What's the mentality that it would be a great idea to spend $140,000 to build an outdoor beach volleyball court? Thank you to Couns. Bell, Heywood, Clark and Bookham for putting a stop to that.
As far as development is concerned, could the powers that be at city hall explain exactly what they mean by "affordable housing?" Are they thinking of the salary range of $75,000$95,000 earned by city firefighters or the $10-$15 an hour earned by the majority of residents in the city who work in the service/retail industries?
There should be another reason to be anxious for elected officials on the North Shore and that is the huge wave of baby boomers, many of whom did not have union jobs and will be stuck on the combination of the old age pension of $544 plus GIS which only totals about $1,400 per month. The Liberals did introduce a wonderful program called the SAFER grant for senior renters who are struggling but the cap is on a rent of $700. Once the rent is above that amount the SAFER grant is reduced considerably. Of course the argument is that if your rent is, let's say $1,000 a month, you should not need help, but what happens in the Lower Mainland where rents are so high?
For those on disabilities it is also pretty harsh. Single people on PWD get $ 906.42 a month - $375 for shelter, and $531.42 for everything else. There may be an extra $20 for nutrition allowance, or something similar.
We all have a responsibility to build a community where everyone is welcome and can live with decent shelter and food. If development is not the answer, then maybe it is time to look at those high earners on the municipal payroll.
Sue Lakes Cook North Vancouver
