As voters who had just cast their ballots filed out of Pitt Meadows polling stations, they discussed the wide variety of issues that were important to them in the 2018 municipal election.
“Accessibility, transportation and also responsible development,” said Jennifer Hewitt. She added that the West Coast Express is great, but the city needs the B-Line bus system, with multiple stops in Pitt Meadows, to upgrade the transit system.
“Pitt Meadows is growing and expanding, and I’m really excited about it growing, but also keeping it The Natural Place – which is the reason why we moved here,” she added.
Keeping taxes low, and expanding the tax base, were keys for Sherrie Morrison. She was impressed that the city had some of the lowest spending per capita in the region, she said.
“One of the important issues was the fact we had one of the lowest rates of increase in property taxes,” said Morrison. “I appreciated that a lot.”
Fire safety and dealing with the issue of train underpasses and overpasses were key issues for Nikki Potter, who regularly takes her four children to various activities, and said she once got stuck behind trains six times in one day.
Her partner Jason Wesson commented on development.
“We moved to Pitt Meadows because it was a small, nice little community, and had a rural aspect to it,” he said. “I like the farmland.”
Mark Almariego said the Harris Road railway crossing was a key issue for him, as well as the city’s response to former councillor David Murray’s sexual assault trial.
“Those were the two biggest ones that dictated my voting,” he said.
Krista Quinn said having a paid fire department, and safety, was one key issue for her, as well as the Harris Road railway underpass.
Having his say on the mayoralty race was most important to Frank Lee, and the transit system – including buses and the West Coast Express – was another key.
“We need more transportation for people to get into Vancouver, and take the traffic off the highway.”
