Health Care Time to challenge old values, beliefs. p6
Girls heading to help in Guatemala. p14
THE NEWS
Gardening Growing the controversial clematis. p29
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Ruskin Dam project going ahead, NDP critic assures Despite claims from minister that some would be at risk by R o b e r t M a n g e l s d o r f staff reporter The NDP won’t be pulling the plug on the $800 million Ruskin Dam upgrade should it get elected in May, according to NDP energy critic John Horgan, who is dismissing Liberal energy minister Rich Coleman’s claims of otherwise. Coleman stated Tuesday that the NDP’s stance on B.C. Hydro could threaten the dam’s redevelopment. “It’s time for the NDP to come clean with British Columbians which projects across B.C. are in jeopardy of being delayed. Is it the Northwest Transmission Line, upgrades at the Shrum facility in the Peace, the John Hart Dam project or is it the Ruskin Dam?” said Coleman. See Dam, p10
Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS
Blue berry season? Baldev Dhuga inspects his blueberry crop after a wet June. See story, p3.
Pitt sticks to four per cent Resolution to keep tax hike lower defeated, resident starts petition by M o n i s h a M a r t i n s staff reporter
T
hrifty Foods opens in downtown Maple Ridge. See story, p23
A former school board trustee has started a petition calling for the City of Pitt Meadows to put an end to incessant tax increases. Fed up with annual increases on his property tax bill, Tom
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Murray plans to rally support from other residents who feel the same way. “It is getting ridiculous. How can we afford it?,” said Murray, who is retired. “I’ve decided I’m going to do something about it. It seems like we are their personal piggy bank now. And I don’t like being a piggy bank for anybody.” Murray’s petition follows a report to council that suggests general taxes will increase about four per cent annually for the next five years.
“It’s tax on tax on tax,” said Murray, explaining that, when added up, the tax increases will total 20 per cent over five years and more than 35 per cent when Bell compared across seven years. “From 2004 to now, we’ve almost doubled our taxes. What
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about our retirees, our young families with kids at home?” Murray wants to reach Pitt Meadows residents before they head out on summer vacations and before council begins planning next year’s budget. “If we don’t do something now, the tax increase will be more than what’s proposed, and once that’s done, it will be hell of a time to change it.” Pitt Meadows saw an annual general tax increase of 3.93 per cent this year. See Taxes, p16
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