Only ONE Pocket - Kim Richter and Mayor Green Take Note

What amazes our Editorial Board each year is how Councillor Kim Richter (and now Mayor Green) separate taxes. They somehow think that if tax increases are not in the form of property tax increases, somehow that will buffalo the general public?

Richter constantly promotes things like raising user fees in the Township. Green just comes up with ridiculous budget numbers that are irrational and never add up. Someone needs to educate Cllr. Richter on the fact that whether it is property taxes or user fees, it is the same public taxpayer pocket. You can slice it and dice it all you want Kim, but it all comes out of the same pocket!

It also amazes us that each and every year the loudest griping comes from the rural residents of Langley with regards to budgets and increases. The fact of the matter is that in 2009, Township Council received 30-40 positive feedback sheets during the public budget input process. At least 30-40 urban residents (who pay proportionally more taxes than their rural neighbours understood the need for the tax increase and supported it. Our Editorial team took a straw pole amongst our neighbours in 2009 and all of the people we spoke with were happy with the services and levels of service they were receiving from the ToL and were happy to pay for them. Many of them resented Mayor Rick Green's suggestions that the Township could be operated on a shoe string, and viewed this approach as nothing more than a cheap political tactic. They fully understood that Cllr. Richter could be placed in that same boat.

One pocket there is Kim and Rick. Better come to Jesus and repent of your past sins.

Spin, Spin, Spin...

As we are about to enter a New Year, some things just never change. We see this Langley Times article on the Township budget process here and the spin job that is already heating up. Since taking office, Mayor Rick Green quickly discovered that his take on the Township was not reality-based. We believe he was already well-aware of that. His constant denial of the facts and truth cause those of us that love Langley to be hugely concerned.

It's OK that Green was a transplant from Delta and didn't grow up in Langley, but did live here for about 10 years. Sometimes an outside perspective is good. But Green managed (through voter apathy and aligning himself with a handful of people with axes against the Township, former mayor and council) to push Kurt Alberts out of the mayor's seat. Kurt was a man that loved and still very much loves the Township. What people may not realize is that during his tenure as mayor, Kurt refused many of the automatic pay increases. Kurt's salary was in the low to mid $50K range. Rick Green's compensation is in excess of $120K with salary and expenses. He recently received a huge raise with the latest Metro Vancouver averaging formula. Even the mayor's pal, Langley Times Editor Frank Bucholtz, could not ignore that one!

But back to the spin...Green is now busy spinning his version of the news related to the ToL budget. His Finance Committee of campaign cronies (except for Cllrs. Ferguson - Richter was really friendly to Green at that time), came up with a VERY lame report. It said nothing, did nothing to address the maintenance needs of a growing municipality, would have depleted fund reserves, and would have led to a $9M+ deficit in 3 years! This very thin "report" did not even spell out how their proposed .93% tax increase could be obtained!

Yet Mayor Green continues to stick to the spin and ignores the huge white elephant in the room. Green also fails to understand that even his proposed .93% (if it was do-able), is still a far cry from his 0% tax increase times 3 years. Green was that careless that he failed to do his homework on the Township's finances. A process that is very open and with all documentation available for public consumption. The man should have known going into the election that 0% was not do-able at all, but he created false hope and optimism amongst his band of malcontents.

Don't believe the Green spin. Attend the budget meetings yourself and hear from the various directors what reality is. The budget meetings are open to the public (despite Green's secret budget meetings last year). The dates for the Council Priorities Committee (CPC) Budget Meetings are January 14th and January 28th at 3:30pm - 5:30pm. Other meeting dates may be announced. The last meeting was held in the Fraser River presentation theatre. Count on the next meetings being in there or the Salmon River committee and meeting room.

Don't just wait for the budget open house and some pretty picture boards. HEAR the facts yourself and don't believe the SPIN.