On two previous occasions, two differently-edited versions of the same letter to the editor have appeared in two separate newspapers looking in some cases a little different, and sometimes significantly different. This one is interesting, as it’s structured, and even worded, extremely differently than the other version that was printed and is worth a read to compare the two.

- Steven Hurdle -

======================

Questioning city hall

letter to the editor
Goldstream News Gazette
March 26, 2008

On March 17, Langford Mayor Stew Young quite heatedly and repeatedly described a situation in which the Municipal Finance Authority is Read the rest of this entry »

We already knew that the City of Langford started on the interchange without passing their own bylaws. Plans are also progressing despite the fact that the financing is not yet in place. Most amazingly of all, things are proceeding despite the fact that the City of Langford hasn’t even got repayment terms in writing from the developers who have proposed to refund some (but not all) of the costs.

Here’s another to add to the list of elements of due process that seems to not be being followed: while Langford has applied for permission to modify the streams feeding into Spencer’s Pond, they apparently haven’t received permission as of yet. What would happen if the Ministry of Environment said “no”, and has City Hall even considered the possibility?

=================================

Work begins, permits be damned

Monday Magazine
“The week”
Mar 19 2008

Monday learned this week, true to the “cut first, ask questions later” approach to development in Langford, that the municipality does not yet have a Section 9 Ministry of Environment permit for alterations it is making to streams flowing into Spencer’s Pond at the site of the proposed Spencer Road highway interchange. Read the rest of this entry »

   In the following letter to the editor, the author suggests we ask ourselves why the Municipal Finance Authority thought that Langford’s proposed non-traditional borrowing arrangement for the interchange was riskier than they claimed.  Fair enough.  The real question, in my mind, is whether Langford Council is willing to ask themselves the same question. 

- Steven Hurdle -

==============================

MFA has reasons to doubt Langford

Times Colonist
letter to the editor
Published: Sunday, March 23, 2008

Langford Mayor Stew Young says the Municipal Finance Authority is lending money to other municipalities at low rates, but sought additional guarantees from Langford.

We need to ask ourselves why this experienced institution feels Langford’s schemes are a risk to its reputation. Perhaps the schemes aren’t as watertight as the mayor would have his population believe.

Machines and workers are busily cutting, blasting and roadbuilding without a a borrowing bylaw in place to finance the project.

Jennifer Andison

Langford

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008

   Well, I don’t imagine anyone saw this one coming.  One of the people behind the tree-sit has purchased the mineral rights for all of Bear Mountain.  This is significant primarily for two reasons:  it grants him relatively unfettered access to the properties he owns the mineral rights on, and it gives him certain rights regarding anything that could involve rock (blasting, digging, etc.) on those lands.  It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

- Steven Hurdle -

=====================================

Bear Mountain Road Foe Grabs Mineral Rights Read the rest of this entry »

    This letter says it all, and mirrors the feelings of many people in Langford I believe.  While Mayor Young keeps saying that it’s OK to protest, except in certain circumstances, you set a dangerous precedent.  Who gets to decide what circumstances are reasonable?  Who gets to decide when something warrants suing protesters to get policing costs back, and which are tolerable by civic government?  It’s a slippery slope that I believe a lot of people don’t want to go down.

- Steven Hurdle -

============================ 

Freedom to protest was hard-won

Times Colonist
letter to the editor
Published: Sunday, March 23, 2008

Re: “The unintended consequences of suing protesters” March 21.

The past couple of decades, and especially the last seven years, have seen the gradual erosion of our civil liberties.

Under the more recent blanket explanation of “security,” we as a nation have come to accept this as inevitable.

Why should we care? After all, it offers us equal protection from terrorism and civil disobedience, right?

All our rights and freedoms were hard-won. These rights and freedoms are what makes us the great democratic nation that is the envy of the rest of the world. And now they are slowly being eroded from within by those who lack foresight, reason and sound judgment.

I am particularly saddened by these actions, as defending these freedoms is precisely why I chose to join the Canadian Forces. Langford Mayor Stew Young may think he is acting for the protection of his constituency, but in fact his actions will have more far-reaching effects than those of which he seems to be aware. What will be left for us to defend?

Gord McKie

Colwood

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008

Rick Kasper was the MLA for this area for many years, ending in 2001. He is now a Councillor in Sooke, and that gives his comments an interesting element. Not only is he a past Langford representative of Langford at the provincial level, but his current role as a city councillor in a nearby municipality gives his a municipal-level viewpoint.

- Steven Hurdle -

================================

City not in the lending business

Times Colonist
letter to the editor
Published: Sunday, March 23, 2008

I applaud many efforts that Langford and Mayor Stu Young have carried out — downtown revitalization, attracting new hotels, broadening the commercial tax base and making the community more livable.

But Young’s comments about being kicked around and singled out by the Municipal Finance Authority don’t wash.

Langford’s proposal was rightly turned down by Read the rest of this entry »

Lost tax revenue sends warning to municipalities

Langford appeal may force tougher bylaw enforcement

Bill Cleverley, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, March 23, 2008

A property assessment appeal won by a Langford resident upset by a commercial business operating in his residential neighbourhood could force municipalities to get tougher with bylaw enforcement, officials say.

“I think it could be a real issue,” Colwood chief administrator Chris Pease said.

“If they’re going to cause this kind of ripple effect to the tax base, that maybe those sort of issues will have to be handled in a much more direct way — in a harder way. Read the rest of this entry »

   After months of news stories and letters to the editor, finally we find out what the Times Colonist thinks of the public policy process behind the interchange from an editorial point of view, thanks to their article posted below.  I have been impressed by the T-C’s coverage of this issue;  I have been imperfectly happy with it and I expect Langford Council has also been imperfectly happy with it, and if everyone with strong opinions is equally unhappy with their coverage that says to me that the T-C is probably doing a fair job all around.

- Steven Hurdle -

==========================

Langford’s risky interchange

Times Colonist editorial
Published: Saturday, March 22, 2008

There’s much to be said for Langford’s can-do attitude toward public projects. While other municipalities would still be commissioning consultants’ studies, Langford has the bulldozers at work.

But there are risks. And the way the Spencer Road interchange project is being rushed should make Langford taxpayers nervous. Read the rest of this entry »

   One of the interesting things about this deal to borrow money with the intention that developers would pay it back, is that it would significantly impair our ability to borrow for other projects Langford citizens want.  The original plan to borrow up to $25 million would have put Langford up to approximately 77% of its limit.  Here’s a quote from an article on the subject.

“Leonard said red flags came up with five developers backing the loan instead of the public. Further, a $25 million loan would put Langford closer to its limit — within about 23 per cent — than almost all other municipalities in B.C.

“Most members are nowhere near their limit. Most have debts of five to 10 per cent of their limit,” Leonard said. “We don’t have a triple-A credit rating without being extremely conservative. We are not treating Langford any differently than any of our 174 members.” “

Of interest is that this has been a problem on the West Shore before. Read the rest of this entry »

Much has been said of Stew Young’s threat to sue protesters. Some have argued it sets a bad precedent. Others have suggested that it might be an effort at intimidation. I have noted that it seems to be fitting into a larger theme. At least one humourist has wondered what would happen if the lawsuit against protesters failed. The following article explores what might happen if Mayor Young’s threat becomes real. It’s worth noting that Stew Young for his part has yet to either retract the threat, or act upon it.

- Steven Hurdle -

=============================================

The unintended consequences of suing protesters Read the rest of this entry »