Democracy for Vancouver

I knew it was just a matter of time. The Columbian has finally printed an Editorial (SPEAK UP VOTERS) I can agree with.

The Columbian is also right that there are some crucial races and issues on Tuesday’s Ballot. Too bad they have taken the role of Cheer Leaders for the Incumbents and increasing taxes instead of just printing the facts.

In Friday’s Sport’s Section you may have missed the article “Transportation cost drive Pioneers out“. Who are the Pioneers? They are Vancouver’s Hockey Team that apparently had to withdraw from the World Hockey Association because of lack of support and funds.

Now what does hockey have to do with the current election. A Lot. Hockey is but one instance of the current Council’s inability to prioritize spending and unwillingness to listen to those they claim to represent, brings to light their past misdeeds and what we can expect from them if re-elected.

Not long ago our current City Council Members over the objection of Voters and Petitioners spent hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars trying to bring, without a vote of the people, a Hockey Rink to Downtown Vancouver. In their futile attempt to raise required private matching fund, they agreed to enter into a shady deal that would, without following standard legal procedures such as “Request for Proposals” favor special interest. This deal would have allowed an Anonymous Group of Donors, in return for 5 million dollars in matching fund to be granted the Naming Rights to the Hockey Rink along most of the money making service contracts such as, Food and Beverage, Advertising, Janitorial, Cleaning and Maintenance, etc. Fortunately for the tax payers, the council was forced to drop the Hockey Rink idea.

Do we really want to re-elect those who would support shady deals, agree to by pass the voters or whose only solution to problems or ideas is to raise our sales, property and other taxes. Can we rely on a news medial that glosses over the misdeeds of incumbents? I think not.

If just those who voted to overturn the Port of Vancouver’s outrageous attempt to raise our property taxes 132% takes the Columbian’s advice, we can and should defeat the incumbents and the legislatures attempt to eliminate among other ballot measures the 60 % majority requirement to increase school taxes. Please join me in voting for Charlie Stemper, Pat Campbell, David Kallstrom, and Jerry Oliver.

We deserve to be represented not dictated to.

L. M. Patella
CDR USN (ret)