Saltair - Re: letter to the editor "Hockin's accusations against ratepayers not held up by fact", May 29.
First of all Mr.Silins, I was the person that gave your wife a copy of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation document to pass along to you. You're welcome, but you really should read the entire document, attention to pages 4 and 19.The sentence prior to your quote reads, "For example, a women's rights groups that claims to represent all women is offensive to those who might not share in its core views", (then your line).And yes, I did read the SDRA mission statement. Standard boilerplate document. However, your group fails to "review and make representation respecting taxation and fees for service in Area G, (2-g). I have yet to see any statement or objection to the continued increases in property taxes.Second point, your AGM. The flyer announcing the meeting clearly said, April 23/15 SDRA business meeting for members and new members from 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. All residents of Saltair invited 7:40 to 9 p.m. So, contrary to your statement, non-members were not invited to the secret session 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. Third point. You state "at no time has SDRA supported new tax levies". I refer you to minutes of your March 27/14 AGM, 35 members present, and the minutes show you were present.Presentation by Area G Director Mel Dorey, the topic was the old school property. "Short term loan, costing homeowners $20 a year per $100,000 assessed value". Mel posed the question (non-binding), "How many people are in Re: letter to the editor "Hockin's accusations against ratepayers not held up by fact", May 29.First of all Mr.Silins, I was the person that gave your wife a copy of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation document to pass along to you. You're welcome, but you really should read the entire document, attention to pages 4 and 19.The sentence prior to your quote reads, "For example, a women's rights groups that claims to represent all women is offensive to those who might not share in its core views", (then your line).And yes, I did read the SDRA mission statement. Standard boilerplate document. However, your group fails to "review and make representation respecting taxation and fees for service in Area G, (2-g). I have yet to see any statement or objection to the continued increases in property taxes.Second point, your AGM. The flyer announcing the meeting clearly said, April 23/15 SDRA business meeting for members and new members from 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. All residents of Saltair invited 7:40 to 9 p.m. So, contrary to your statement, non-members were not invited to the secret session 7 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. Third point. You state "at no time has SDRA supported new tax levies". I refer you to minutes of your March 27/14 AGM, 35 members present, and the minutes show you were present.Presentation by Area G Director Mel Dorey, the topic was the old school property. "Short term loan, costing homeowners $20 a year per $100,000 assessed value". Mel posed the question (non-binding), "How many people are infavour of possibility of purchasing the school property?" ALL 35 members present were in favour, including yourself Sure sounds like you and your group were supporting new tax levies! The minutes also reveal that you were informed that "annual maintenance would be an additional significant consideration", requiring additional future tax levies. And you re-affirmed that taxation position April 23/15 when you adopted as published, the minutes of the 2014 AGM minutes.Fourth point. SDRA active at getting votes out to support Mel Dorey. The community is well aware of who the members of SDRA are, and you cannot separate one from the other while an active member, any more than Christy Clark can say she is not involved in politics after 4 p.m. If there is even the slightest sniff of conflict, then it is conflict of interest. (Page 2 Canadian taxpayer report) Finally, if Mr Silins is sincere about openness and transparency, then all minutes and the "newsie" should be readily available on the taxpayer funded sunnysaltair. ca website. Until then, I still call SDRA a secret society.Tom HockinSaltair