Re: “Kuhn the one putting up smokescreen”, (Gazette, Feb. 15)
Instead of attacking Mr. Klaus Kuhn, Paul Gowland should praise him.
Who else from all the CVRD board members have raised their voice against the incessant milking of funds from the general public by the CVRD?
In 2007, the CVRD portion, for my property, was $393.43. In 2016, it was $641.38. An increase over 10 years of $247.95 (63 per cent).
As a comparison, the municipal portion of the property tax increase by 27 per cent over the same time period.
Jurisdiction of the rivers belongs to the provincial government. The federal government is involved due to the Cowichan River being a salmon spawning river.
That the provincial government and Catalyst cannot get together to address the river flow is a concern, and the CVRD should petition both branches of government for funds to raise the weir instead of taking the easy way out by going to the general populace for funds.
Even if the CVRD succeeds in convincing the general public for the need of funds to raise the weir, it should be done through a borrowing bylaw at election time, not an AAP in the middle of a term.
After the weir is raised, operation and maintenance of the weir converts back to Catalyst and, except for paying back the loan, the CVRD’s involvement comes to an end. We do not need two governments (CVRD and provincial) to look after the rivers.
Hubert Crevels
Lake Cowichan
