Better explanation needed

The District of Lake Country's Matt Vader didn’t explain how by adding the rail trail and firehall loan (if approved) into the tax base, future percentage tax increases don’t cause that payment to increase.

He merely said it won’t. We’re supposed to just believe him.

The fact is Lake Country is only a municipality of 14,000, and as many of that number are children, we’re not all taxpayers. How do they expect this small tax base to endure a major purchase and tax increase every few years? 

Keep in mind that although we were told we were only borrowing $2.5 million for the rail trail purchase, our mayor and council actually borrowed $5.15 million. The $2.65 million was explained as an investment by Kelowna in our portion, but in reality it was only a three-year interest-free loan. That three years is now up, and where are the funds to come from for repayment? Expect a hefty tax increase commencing in 2019 to start making payments to Kelowna.

We also had to purchase land from two property owners to keep the trail intact. How much did that cost? Whatever it was, it further adds to the $5.15 million for that purchase.

The year after the rail trail purchase, we were assessed a $125 annual road levy that will continue forever.

There has been a lack of transparency from our mayor and council, and now they want us to approve another $6.6 million loan that will substantially increase our annual property taxes.

Do we need a firehall that will be the envy of the Okanagan?

I suggest we take a pass this time and have some public input as to what a suitable firehall could be built for.

Guy Bissonnette, Lake Country