Why I dislike the CVRD:
1. The CVRD continues to create and cause inflation. Every year the CVRD continues to raise taxes. It’s a simple formula when one realizes that property “values” continue to rise and how that a percentage increase takes more and more money from you.
2. The CVRD speaks as “one”. What that suggests is that there are not many directors that think, much less speak for them. There may be a reason for that. One can only imagine if a director expresses a difference of opinion, they will not be rewarded as the directors who hold their tongues. So if one wants appointments to boards and committees, which will increase their CVRD benefits, then one most not speak their mind. Hence they are not working for the taxpayer but for themselves.
3. The CVRD claims to be the 64th “largest” regional district within B.C. Yet their expenditures rank in the top six. Doesn’t that speak volumes of the willingness of these directors to continue to take our money and spend it on how they see fit?
4. The CVRD encourages individuals, groups, businesses — essentially everyone — to submit their ideas as to what services the CVRD should provide. If the CVRD directors believe the idea has some merit, committees are formed, studies written, presentations prepared, without ever investigating whether or not there is a taxpayer interest. Imagine if you worked for the CVRD; “Wouldn’t this be a wonderful idea”?
5. When the CVRD calls town hall meetings, why do so many CVRD employees show up at those meetings? Could they be paid for their attendance time if this meeting is scheduled on their off-hours? If they were working on a town hall meeting issue, would that be a conflict of interest?
6. The CVRD will disclose only what they want you to know. Why is it that there is a significant spending increase in regional parks on this budget? Why don’t they tell us that they are spending over $107,000 to install a couple of new outdoor bathrooms at Youbou’s Arbutus Park? Of course this was one of those “submitted” ideas. An advertisement on a local radio station says Habitat For Humanity will build two houses in Sechelt for 100,000. In our CVRD we get an outdoor bathroom.
7. Why does the CVRD believe that an RCMP information position is required for the district? The CVRD identifies that this position will have a salary of $75,000. This is just another half-truth. We all know that the salary makes up about one-third of the true cost. This position will have a multitude of additional benefits, such as vacation allowances, heath and dental coverage, pension benefits, etc.
8. Unlike private business, the CVRD does not show any benefit of using new age technology. One only has to look at the current budget forecasts for proof of that.
9. There are many other far more important issues that should be identified. Issues such as the Alternative Approval Process (AAP), the Cowichan Lake weir, CVRD donations, CVRD administration costs, CVRD legal fees all should be addressed but not by me in this letter.
I believe that anybody with an open mind will understand why I dislike the CVRD. This organization continues to grow in both employee numbers and building space, it consumes more and more of our money and there seems to be no cure, much like a cancer tumour.
When I attend the so-called town hall meetings I see and hear arrogance from these directors. The idea that they know better than the taxpayer and that we are to willing except their information without question is truly unbelievable. There is little want or willingness to provide detailed explanations for their decisions.
Possibly, if there is an answer to this dilemma it might be to remove every director that currently sits at the CVRD and elect people who are responsible to the taxpayers instead of themselves.
Greg Whynacht
Youbou