“Bureaucratic empire building again,” wrote Don Swiatlowski.
“The CVRD has become a monster and needs to mind their own business,” wrote Sandy McDougald.
These are two of the comments that followed on the Citizen‘s website after the April 30 story CVRD proposes new tax to assist with affordable housing was published online.
In his story, Robert Barron reported the Cowichan Valley Regional District is proposing a new tax to assist with costs related to social housing.
The tax, which would be assessed through an annual property value tax of $4.58 per $100,000 of assessed value, would raise approximately $765,000 per year.
The money would be managed by the Cowichan Housing Association to leverage and attract funding from the federal and provincial governments to build affordable housing.
Over on the Citizen‘s Facebook page, readers aren’t so keen and took aim at the regional district.
“Sounds like a great idea except the bureaucrats will spend all the money on studies by paid consultants and never finish one home,” wrote Scott Simmons.
“We can’t afford our own homes, now we are going to pay a tax for other people’s homes? Start slashing wages at the top of all the excessive government agencies. Get them to pay for the new ‘affordable’ housing,” wrote Jane Knight.
Melissa Cottam agreed.
“Take the money from the rich for once, start at the top,” she wrote.
Kerry Nobbs echoed Cottam.
“Not a chance. Take a pay cut,” she wrote.
Tim Genereaux wrote, “Enough tax already. The working middle class are slowly being taxed into poverty.”
Further information regarding community consultation on the CVRD proposal will be provided through a number of platforms including open houses, social media, newspaper advertising and PlaceSpeak.
Join the conversation over on https://www.facebook.com/CowichanValleyCitizen/
