Capital News Thursday, December 29, 2011
www.kelownacapnews.com A9
LETTERS ▼ CLINIC NEEDS FUNDING
Chronic pain sufferers desperate for treatment To the editor: Most residents of the Okanagan are unaware that we have two months to appeal to Interior Health to provide funding for the pain clinic at Kelowna General Hospital. Chronic pain impacts every aspect of the affected person’s life, as well as that of his/her family. Every one of us is simply one traffic accident or other mishap away from needing this pain clinic. Living with 24-hour pain that cannot be controlled is unbelievably difficult, and the pain clinic and its dedicated doctors do an excellent job of reducing it to a bearable level, thus returning
many people to a productive, more normal life. However, we recently lost a wonderful pain management specialist, Dr. Karl Muendel, to Nanaimo because Interior Health would not provide the necessary funding for a C-arm machine ($230,000) and staff that would allow him to do the work for which he is trained. He was raised here and wanted to stay, but Nanaimo offered him the support that IH would not. If IH does not provide funding for one nurse within two months, the remaining doctors will not be able to continue to maintain the KGH pain
clinic. At present, they are even using a treatment machine that they themselves purchased. They simply cannot continue their lifesaving work without support. What they need, and are requesting, right now is just one nurse; however, they estimate that it would only cost about $300,000 per year to fully fund this clinic (this includes providing a radiologist) and continue treating hundreds of desperate patients. If this is provided within the next 6 months, it is probable that Dr. Muendel will return. This amount is tiny compared to what is spent on cancer and heart
treatments for a patient, whether or not they can survive, but those diseases have a higher profile. As a two-time cancer survivor who is very grateful for the treatment I received, I certainly am not advocating reducing funding in those areas; I simply want to make people aware that what is spent on one cancer or heart patient could provide pain relief for hundreds in the pain clinic. IH is focusing on the new heart facility, of which it is justifiably proud, but it should not be at the expense of those living with unbearable pain. The sad fact is that without treatment, many who
can no longer tolerate horrific, unrelenting pain resort to suicide. Sending a letter, or even a note, of support for the pain clinic can change or save many lives, and may well be the most important thing you have ever done. Please let your support be known to susan. brown@interiorhealth.ca and send copies to: dr.j.mcintosh@interiorhealth.ca norm.letnick.mla@ leg.bc.ca premier@gov.bc.ca Sharron Moraes, Kelowna
▼ PROPERTY TAXES
Residents keep assessment authority honest To the editor: In 2010 the West Kelowna Residents’ Association formed a committee to look at West Kelowna property assessments. Initial analysis indicated that the assessments at the neighbourhood level had significant anomalies; namely some assessments seemed neither fair nor consistent. Similar anomalies were also found to exist in the 2011 assessments. The objective throughout our review was to encourage BC Assessment Authority (BCA) to take corrective actions as deemed appropriate in the pursuit of fairness and consistency for future releases and hopefully by 2012. The association submitted analytical information on neighbourhoods, specific cases and lakefront properties to our MLA Ben Stewart who arranged with the Kelowna office of BCA to analyze the findings. He then coordinated two review meetings hosted by the
Kelowna office of BCA in June and October, 2011. Further, Mr. Stewart invited West Kelowna’s chief financial officer to be included at these meetings as property taxes are based on assessed values. At the June meeting BCA officials presented a comprehensive report. They demonstrated that the results in question were within the mass appraisal statistical measures of quality they use, a standard more demanding than accepted international requirements. This position recognizes the operating system in use, resources and a fluctuating market. BCA identifies three key measures that apply to this industry including: • Assessment to Sales Ratio (ASR) • Coefficient of Dispersion (COD) • Price Related Differential (PRD) Three conclusions from the BCA report were: 1) BCA focused on the
change between 2010 and 2011 roll value shifts; 2) Outliers (our anomalies) identified and value shift rational noted; and 3) Majority of outliers (71 per cent) fall within +/- 2.5 per cent of median. At the October meeting BCA demonstrated once more that the quality of the mass appraisals met standards. We had calculated that if the lakefront land component is assessed on area (lot size) there was a discrepancy up to a multiplier of more than two. This was clarified. BCA determines lakefront property assessment based on its lakeshore frontage, not area, and on that basis the results were indeed consistent. We learned that the assessed values of older lakefront buildings (improvements) are significantly reduced not only in West Kelowna but throughout BC. Effectively the middle class ratepayers are subsidizing the multimillionaire lakefront owners.
Put locals to work first To the editor: I read with very much agreement the letter of Steve Pierson in regards to Premier Christy Clark’s idea of recruiting foreign workers to B.C. Sure we need people, but what is wrong with the ones we’ve already got? They complain about the costs of education, new schools, striking teachers, etc., but the job of educat-
ing our own workers has gone out the window. We have very talented people here that would like nothing better than apply those talents here, not elsewhere, but they end up going away because the government has filled their jobs with imports. Imported articles are expensive, and we have our “home grown” ones
here already. So what’s wrong? They say “buy B.C.” and I think that Christy Clark better start doing that very thing, and that applies to all the rest too. Our friends south of the border have been steadfast in their statement “made in USA, so what’s wrong with “Made in Canada?” Ron Barnard, West Kelowna
Go figure. We suggest that the majority of B.C. property buyers buy a “house” and by that standard might expect the same assessment rules to apply to lakefront “houses.” Be fair and consistent.
2012 ACTIVITY
BCA indicated that we had 29 per cent outliers in our June 2011 submission (almost one-inthree). Our conclusion is that it is incumbent upon each individual property owner to note the assessed value of their property, collect information at the neighbourhood level, and if dissatisfied with the measure of fairness and consistency, appeal his/ her assessment. Here are three ways for property owners to gather assessment information: The West Kelowna website now has detailed information on assessed values (5 years), property lines and satellite photo-
graphs of the property. Start from the home page (HYPERLINK “http:// districtofwestkelowna. ca/”http://districtofwestkelowna.ca) and click on “Map” (top right hand corner); BCA will publish assessment values by neighbourhood early in January 2012; and The West Kelowna Residents’ Association is providing a hands-on workshop on Wednesday evening, Feb. 15, from 7 to 8 p.m. The location is our Westbank Library coordinated through the Friends of the Library. Overall, the association is satisfied with the responses from MLA Ben Stewart and BCA staff. The intent is to monitor the 2012 assessment for anomalies and keep our membership informed. S. Carl Zanon, assessment committee, West Kelowna Residents’ Association,
Express yourself We welcome letters that comment in a timely manner about stories and editorials published in the Capital News. Letters under 200 words will be given priority in considering them for publication. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, legality and taste. Letters sent directly to reporters may be treated as letters to the editor. Letters must bear the name, address and telephone number of the writer. Names will be withheld at the editor’s discretion, only under exceptional circumstances. E-mail letters to edit@kelownacapnews.com, fax to 763-8469 or mail to The Editor, Capital News, 2495 Enterprise Way, Kelowna, B.C., V1X 7K2.
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