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rsterne · Moderator

We live in Regional District Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) Area H which is called "Rural Princeton".... It's a large rural area with roughly the same population as the Town of Princeton, but spread out over hundreds of square miles surrounding Princeton.... We elect our own Representative to the RDOS and are NOT governed in any way by the Town of Princeton, we don't vote in their elections, nor do we pay taxes to them.... Our property taxes are paid to the Province of BC....

Princeton wants to build an Indoor Aquatic Center at a cost of $ 9.3 Million of which they want to borrow $6M over 20 years and they are holding a Referendum in September to vote on approving the capital costs and operating costs, which if spread out over Princeton and Area H will come to $287 per year per "improved parcel", for 20 years.... That's a BIG increase in our taxes.... We are being told that it will take a simple majority of all the voters to approve this tax increase, and that ALL voters will be lumped together, Princeton PLUS Area H, into one voting pool, with 51% deciding what happens....

My guess is that the majority of Area H residents will vote against this onerous tax increase.... However, the Town of Princeton is Gung Ho on this project and will likely vote for it.... Now get this.... all RESIDENTS get to vote, whether they are property owners or not.... Yup, everyone living in an apartment has the same voting power as the land-owners who get to pay (and guess where the apartments are).... Want more?.... If you are a non-resident property owner, you get ONE vote.... even if you own 10 parcels of land.... and guess what?.... you get to pay 10 times.... Shocked

Is is just me, or is this whole situation totally F****D UP !!! .... How in the H**L can we be forced to pay for a pool if we don't want it, just because Princeton does?.... I've been asking how we got in this situation and the answers just aren't forthcoming....

Bob

AirGunEric · Site Admin

That is pretty effed up all right.

I have been noticing in my part of the world lately that municipal governments seem to think they are the guardians of all things good and true (in their own estimation of course). Common sense, decency and working brain cells need not hinder their ideas it seems...

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

All national and local governments are the same, they alter the voting system to suit the result they want.

We have the Olympics Games next year and most of the country couldn’t give a toss about it, but most of our lottery fund have been diverted to fund this monstrosity, including paying the athletes up to $110,000.00 a year to train.

And what will we end up with, a £10 billion pound bill no medals and thousands of foreign so called athletes and trainers looking for asylum.

You can’t win Bob

Al. Twisted Evil

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Go to the media. Make sure that it's clear you guys are the victims.

SMP · Silver Status Member

Bob I feel your pain.

I live in the very rural township of Bedford that is pretty much the same as its been for the last 50 to 75 years. The entire township is considered to be a protected wildlife and forestry zone by the Ministry of Natural Resources and as such what "bylaws" we had were very generic. We have absolutely zippo municipal services.
Then ten odd years ago some bright light decided that everyone must "amalgamate" to save money and avoid duplication. So we were forced under extreme protest to join with four other townships to form a super township called south Frontenac. Thats fine, however one of the townships we amalgamated with with was Loughborough. And it's notable because that is where Dan Aykroyd and half of the Hollywood funny people have their summer homes. And they have every municipal service and more rules and bylaws than you have ever seen. So it was decided that Loughborough would be the seat of municipal governance and in charge of the whole sh!t show.

So overnight my taxes doubled to pay for all these wonderful rules and municipal services we still don't have and don't want and will never get because they are 50 km away. But suddenly I was not allowed to go down to the lake and fish off my dock because it wasn't an "approved" dock. Not to mention my personal favorite "you shall not park farm machinery in front of your house" ???? Well I don't own any farm machinery but if I did I would certainly want to park it in my front yard because everyone knows a good tractor is worth about 100 grand.
And I don't know of one single person that can say their taxes went down because we saved so much money avoiding duplication. In fact I know one little village that saw a tax increase of 300% because they were forced to amalgamate with our nations capitol region.

We did however recently get our first municipal service in the form of garbage collection. Oh Boy! For my entire life everyone did a decent job of recycling and composting so that once a month you only had to take 4 or 5 bags to the dump. Now we have weekly pick up and suddenly everyone has 5 or 6 bags a week...How the h$ll is that a move in the right direction.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Seems like a good way for the government to raise some funds. Neutral

Slavia · Moderator

My city got a grant to study community development. The survey indicated that folks wanted to "develop our aquatic resources" (we have two lakes in town and many others nearby). The elite few mutated that into a need for a water park, which would support itself. Of course it doesn't. Just over the border in Wisconsin members of the "elite few" club rammed in a (now defunct) dog racing track.

That monarchy of the elite is probably comprised of influential hirelings free from the accountability of re-election. That, and being part of the system they are adept at manipulating the system to their own ends. About the only thing one can do is turn it into a media hot potato and char their little fingers.

mod90 · Veteran Member

The price of politics is only ever felt most not by politicians, but by the masses they are allegedly helping in their efforts. Don't you guys have a congressman/senator/someone that you all who oppose this move can lobby and irritate into shutting the project down? Hope the situation winds down in your favor

Well you know what they say. The only 2 sure things in this life are death & taxes Evil or Very Mad

rsterne · Moderator

Well, in a rare turn of events, Democracy actually worked for a change.... A few of us began circulating the facts about the costs and the voting structure, culminating in a Petition being circulated for the RDOS (rural area) Board to count our votes separately from Princeton.... Within a week we collected 833 signatures out of a population of 2200, 46% of which are seasonal.... The petition was presented yesterday at the RDOS Board and they reversed their decision, splitting the vote on the Pool.... It will now require 50% +1 votes in Princeton AND 50% +1 votes within Area H(the rural portion) to pass.... Mr. Green

Bob

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Good result Bob.

Now come over here and scrap the 2012 Olympics for me. Laughing

Al