Last Week's Langley Times
The Langley Times reports that Langley City tax increases will be 1.77 % due to Casino revenues. Aren't you all eager to see what the Township gaggle of goofs are going to do with tax increases? After projects like GrandstandGate, we will be lucky to get it under 5 %!
Al Irwin reports that Township Mayor Kurt Alberts has finally got some financial religion because the Township is facing “huge challenges” and he won't rush in to finance a joint School Board drug treatment program as proposed by Councillor Kim Richter. Do you believe this? Alberts never blinked an eye on the $3-4-5 million Grandstand project yet he is now cautious on helping our youth get off drugs!
Nice of the Times to cover Muriel Arnason's tribute from Township's CUPE with a picture in the paper too. She was elected in 1979 and served until 2005. She is now a welcomed contributing columnist for LFP.
The Editor in his editorial seems to think that the City should keep investing with the Township's financial gaggle of goofs. After the Grandstand fiasco and a discussed $9 million Blair Pool expansion scaring the boots off the City, who can blame them? The best comment heard yet is that the City should take over the Township because they are better business managers. Sad but true. Kudos to the City.
Do you think that former School Board Trustee Dave Hall may be thinking of running for City Council? His letter to the editor sure sounds like it. A few months too late Dave.
Langley MLA Mary Polak comments in the paper were admirable considering she hit the high points well and admitted that their budget was a guarded and cautious budget and essentially could have done more. Meanwhile the Editor's take on the budget was saying that it was a "disappointment on many fronts" then he reversed himself saying that there were a "few worthwhile initiatives". Duh ok!
Last Week's Langley Advance
Zvonko Bezjak should get a medal for (as reported) wanting to donate a home and $15,000.00 of his own money to temporarily move a house and store it until it can be used as a homeless shelter or similar other use by Langley Township. We bet the giggle of goofs on Council will blow this one too!
The biggest joke in this article is when rookie Councillor Jordan Bateman says "it's not the money that is the issue" about the fact that the City is pulling out of the W.C. Blair pool joint venture. Let's see - the City according to the Advance provided $4.1 million over the last 20 years for capital and operating costs at the pool and sources say that the Township will now be paying at least $200,000 more annually since the City pulled out. Hello! Jordan show us the money! He's already starting to sound like the financial google of goofs on Council. Of course, it's about the money! We the taxpayers now have to make this money up after the abysmal failure of this Mayor's Council in not seeing this coming or preventing it. But the City folk still will use the pool. Better not see any City councillor's in it!
Councillor Kim Richter defended rookie Councillor Jordan Bateman's motion on a plan to penalize druggie homes when Councillor Mel Kositsky suggested that it was clearly the fault of the Provincial Liberal Party's inaction which in turn has forced the Township to be reactive on the issue. Bateman is employed by MLA Rich Coleman for communications work. Was this a low blow attempt to discredit? Nice to see Richter defending Bateman on this one. Maybe they can eventually work a little closer together. Your turn, Jordan!
There appeared to be some bad blood demonstrated when LFS board of directors president Rebecca Darnell and executive director Bill Dartnell ended up being warned considerably and repeatedly by City Councillor Terry Smith about not going over budget on the new building and that no more money would be forthcoming. Heck, can Terry give some lessons on how to handle cost overruns to the Township Mayor and Coucillors? Maybe he should run for Township Mayor.
The two Mayors' vision of their communities? We wish someone would tell us what Alberts' Councils vision of the Township is. So far it only sounds like spend, tax, and guess what, now borrow. Peter please come on over and help the Township, please. We bet you that the township speech was twice as long as the City speech.
Note that Langley City has produced their budget with third reading and as reported with no more than a total 5% increase predicted over the next 3 years. Meanwhile the "desperate househusbands" on Langley Township Council are no where near 3rd reading on their budget. You know why? They will be hard pressed to keep it under 5% EACH YEAR! The fact that it is not out yet is as Mayor Alberts said because there are "huge challenges". You bet there are when you have been on a spending spree for 6 years!
The Advance Editor hits it dead on right re the Courtship of the two Langleys. Not.
Former Mayor Candidate Tom Ouellette suggests using old Township Hall building for a homeless shelter. Not a bad idea but we thought it was an earthquake hazard as far as buildings go. So this might not be the best idea.
In case some of you think that we rant on unreasonably about our tax and spend Township government, let's look at a letter writer's comments.
Advance's reporting of Council's pay raise which by the way, surprise , surprise they all voted yes for except Councillor Kim Richter.
Carvolth School is fighting for it's life!
Last Week's Aldergrove Star
Just in case you forgot what Township's Council real priorities are read this once again.
We love Editor Langmann's rants, especially on taxes, especially GVRD & Translink taxes! (And guess who now sits on both these boards? You quessed it - Mayor Kurt Alberts with his extensive 6 years of tax and spend experience in the Township).
Then finally, there is one of Eric's letters about Belinda's defection for "personal interests and politics" rather than the we assume the principled defection of Emerson, for as Eric says, "particular skill, or knowledge, that will be of benefit to the District, Province or Canada, then it may be justified". What a bunch of self serving conservative B.S. drivel. Tell that to the constituents who are daily protesting outside Emerson's office. Drive around the constituency like I did and count the lawn signs that say "De-Elect Emerson". Didn't see that continued anger for Belinda. She got re-elected, Eric. Wanna bet Emerson won't?....
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