Re: Local Area Service Tax (LAS) - purchase of Donnay property from Providence Farm
North Cowichan is planning to purchase the property by taxing just 662 properties, in North Cowichan, near the land in question in what is called a LAS.
The person monitoring the website information page for the acquisition, likened the purchase to how services for things like local sewers and water systems are paid for.
That is illogical given that the property, in question is usable by the entire municipality, and whereas sewers and water systems are only usable by those who actually pay for the service. All parks in North Cowichan are paid for by all properties in the entire municipality; it is therefore illogical to tax just 662 properties for this park.
More disturbing, is that a form of the Alternative Approval Process is being used to authorize the purchase, whereby more than 50 per cent of the property owners must vote against (object to) the acquisition rather than vote for the acquisition. Council is obviously hoping that most folks will not understand what this process is all about and the LAS will pass due to the fact that nobody, in the 662 properties targeted, takes the time to vote their objection to their taxes rising for the acquisition.
If the council does not think that this property is worth purchasing, with the whole municipality paying for it, the plan to purchase the land must be cancelled.
Don Swiatlowski
North Cowichan
