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June
2003 Newsletter
You
Have A Choice This Time
You
have a choice (of sorts). You can pay an additional $1000
in property taxes just for the construction of the expressway;
or you can donate all or part of that money to the campaigns
of the councillor(s) candidates who will stop the expressway.
The
$1000 in taxes is pretty obvious. The City will borrow some
$80 million to pay for its share of the expressway construction.
Note that this doesn't include maintenance and operation,
just construction of the expressway. That $80 million debt
will attract a further $50 million in interest, so the total
bill for local taxpayers will be about $130 million. Note
again, this $130 million doesn't include monies already
spent on the Linc or on the preparations for the valley
expressway. The rule of thumb used by City staff is that
each $130,000 in city spending costs the average residential
taxpayer $1.00. So if the City spends $130 million, the
cost to each average home is $1000.
One
might describe this $1000 as a penalty imposed on taxpayers
who don't get involved in municipal politics. If you examine
the lists of campaign contributions to local councillors,
you will find a lot of names of developers, construction
companies and unions, trucking interests and others who
expect to benefit from the Red Hill Creek Expressway and
other council decisions of this ilk. The maximum legal donation
to an individual council or mayoralty campaign is $750,
although some of these interests give money to several candidates.
Making
a cash donation to an anti-expressway candidate isn't the
only way you can help stop the expressway, but it certainly
is one of the major ones. Actively working for the candidate
of your choice is also very useful — by canvassing,
telephoning, delivering brochures, hosting a kitchen meeting
of your neighbours, etc.
In
2003, we have a choice. Donate now or be forced to pay later.
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