New CVRD services a waste of money
On Oct. 20 as part of the CVRD elections there are two major tax increases to be voted on, both attempting to expand CVRD responsibilities into provincial and federal jurisdictions. The CVRD regularly whines that senior governments download their costs onto local tax payers.
But these proposed tax increases are yet another example of the CVRD going way beyond its current roles, getting directly involved in affordable housing and homelessness and control of drinking water both of which we already pay taxes for to B.C. and Canada. There are lots of staff in both these levels of government dealing with these issues already.
The CVRD is jumping on the housing and water bandwagon and all Cowichan taxpayers end up with a major tax increase with nothing to show for it except more bureaucracy and waste. After reading the bylaws it’s very clear there is no plan or deliverables for the almost $2 million in new taxes and just gibberish about new “services”.
In fact this is the way a lot of the CVRD “services” operate — no specific deliverables and no key performance measures to accurately assess whether our taxes are wasted or not.
Over $20 million of our taxes already goes right into the pockets of the more 200 CVRD employees who get raises every year, especially those 40 senior staff making more than $100,000. And of course the CVRD directors also help themselves to a pay increase every year too and took home $500,000 last year in pay and expenses.
You can bet the first action if these votes pass will be to hire more overpaid staff who will have no clear performance measures that require accountability except spending more of our tax money.
No new houses will be built or drinking water provided to anyone by voting for these new taxes.
The CVRD intends to turn over the almost $1 million in new taxes to a private society — the Cowichan Housing Association (CHA) — that has never built one house or provided anything for any homeless persons.
The consultations earlier this year on giving the money away to the CHA were strongly opposed by most taxpayers who attended the public sessions.
Voting NO to this new tax increase sends a clear message that the public is not interested in supporting more bureaucracy and spending in an already bloated CVRD bureaucracy. Paying attention to its current responsibilities, improving those services and reducing waste is much more important than expanding the CVRD empire and its $60 million in annual spending.
W.E. Dumont
Cobble Hill