What Planet?

What planet is this letter writer (Robert Moats) from? This man lectures Council on how to conduct themselves and points to Mayor Green as the shining example for them all to follow. This same letter writer bullied Council during the Mufford overpass debate - treating staff and councillors like dirt.

Mr. Moats does not know what he is talking about. He did not attend any committee meetings, has only attended Council when he needed to bully and bitch about something, or to threaten councillors. As far as our Editorial Board knows, Mr. Moats is not involved in any community activities (i.e. giving back). As a strong supported of Green during the campaign and a full-fledged Milner Green, he needs to look at his own conduct and the abhorent manner in which he conducts his "advocacy" for his very small minority.

Mr. Moats, you are also wrong about the majority. Mayor Green came in 4th place. Three councillors got more votes than the mayor. Get your facts in order before you put your dragon suit on.

Mayor Green was elected as mayor and not dictator. Staff does the work in a municipality Mr. Moats and mayor and council work on a higher level ONLY to provide a sober second look and to set high-level direction based on the EXPERTS (Township staff). No one wants your Mr. Green or anyone else taking over for staff. They are hired experts and you pay them so they are listened to. Not your Green grocer.

Something's Fishy

****UPDATED FEBRUARY 15, 2010****

By now we are sure you have all read the letter to the editor regarding the Mayor's Standing Committee on Finance and the decision of the three civilians to resign. Something's really fishy about this for several reasons...

The mayor was Chair of this committee. If you believe that Council ignored the committee, then there is a fundamental problem because the Chair is to support and advocate to Council for his committee and engage Council in the process.

1. Council thought this committee was so important that they had 3 members of Council sit on the committee (Mayor Green, Cllr. Richter and Cllr. Ferguson)
2. The letter writer mentioned his credentials and experience. But several times during the budget process this same individual stated that he had no municipal finance experience.
3. The .93% was never explained in any detail whatsoever by the mayor. None of their budget figures were shown to add up and the accountant left on holidays before the report was written. How could run on a campaign of 0-0-0 and then propose even a .93? Did he miscalculate when running in the election?
   

Mayor Green told us during the campaign that the Langley Airport was operating grossly under market and that the Township of Langley should be making an additional $1M per year. Another miscalculation we gather, as a report released late last year states that our airport is making record profits as compared with other regional airports around the country.

Rick Green told us during his campaign that Langley would be saved through a Land Trust, much like the City of Vancouver. Green proposed a man with qualifications to act as a consultant, but who had also supported Green in the campaign. Council accepted the qualifications and did not fight the hiring of this consultant. One year later this exercise of a Land Trust has gone nowhere.

The Township doesn't have Vancouver's land portfolio and hence cannot generate the dollars needed to offset property taxes. Once again Mayor Green's calculator was broken and we can thank Green (and not NOT COUNCIL) for our tax increases. If he did as promised and what people elected him to do, we would be getting money flowing from this grand Land Trust that would freeze our property taxes. Green has failed us!

Mayor Rick Green's calculator is broken folks. He embarked on this finance committee process with the goal of finding massive waste and perhaps more. What he found was a well-oiled machine that is run by dedicated and bright staff.

The mayor should get his calculator repaired or replaced as this year's budget enters the debate process. It is now time for Mayor Rick Green to explain in detail where the $7M+ in cuts will come from to support his 0% rhetoric. Will he close recreation centres? Will he cancel all road repairs and upgrades? Will he rip up contracts for CUPE workers? Will he reduce garbage collection?

We want specifics Mayor Green and if the local press won't push for detailed facts to support a 0% tax increase, then the people must. It's time for details and an end to vague pontifications delivered in a white washed public relations Mayor's Report.