I’ve been circulating the petition that would put to a vote council’s proposal to pay $330,000 (plus GST and property taxes) to lease two of W. Laird’s parking lots. Citizens familiar with this issue via the excellent articles and letters in local publications signed right away. Others, after reading the printed explanation on the form, refused for lack of clarity.
The city was democratic in its decision to offer residents the opportunity to collect signatures for putting this to a vote, but doing so over the holidays was not. The lack of a more transparent process in this matter echoes that of the federal government shutting down Parliament to make decisions without citizen input. If we do not obtain the signatures of 10 per cent of Salmon Arm’s population by 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, will council succumb to the pressure of private developers and sign the lease?
These parking lots will provide a staging area for the heavy equipment needed to construct a Ross Street underpass. The lease is for 10 years with an option to extend. That implies 10 years of construction. Today’s $9 million underpass price tag can only increase. Add the ongoing cost of spring flooding. To date, I am unaware of any government commitment to subsidize these proposed expenditures.
Citizen research proves that waiting four minutes for a train does not present a safety issue. Driving around Salmon Arm in the dark, straining to see a centre line or upcoming curves due to lack of street lighting do impede safety. In the present economic climate, the lease and underpass would mean huge tax increases and perhaps closing more schools, further reducing public transportation, continuing to deprive streets of sidewalks. Let’s take another look at our OCP priorities.
Judith Benson
