The News/letters Mandate is to keep the economy vibrant Editor, The News: Finance Minister Mike de Jong states, “We are sharpening our pencils.” Yes, for everyone else but themselves, it seems. The top aids in the newly elected government have their salary caps increased by 18 to 60 per cent, with salaries up to $230,000. Meanwhile, the elderly and infirm in residential care, who worked and paid taxes all their lives, are now required to pay $25 a month to rent a wheelchair. Really? Mr. de Jong also states, “ I think people understand a new government with a new mandate ... may make changes of these sorts.” Mr. de Jong, the mandate was given to keep the economy vibrant, not give yourselves raises. Yes, ‘the people’ want changes to benefit the ‘people,’ not the Grand Poobahs. Cherryl Katnich Maple Ridge
online comments No business on the street • Hugh Peden · Maple Ridge: Re: No longboard ban for Maple Ridge. Good grief. The neighborhood wants traffic calming? That’s the solution to this? ... The activity is inherently dangerous and they are turning a blind eye to their kids careening down these hills (head first, it seems), and now somehow rationalizing that it’s OK, that our road network is somehow a giant skateboard park. No one has reported it, but how do you think the driver of the car feels? The driver did nothing wrong (no charges from police) and has to deal with seeing a 12 year old nearly killed, laying on the ground while waiting for an ambulance to attend ... Put yourself in that person’s shoes for just a moment. Let’s get serious here: this activity is dangerous –there are no ways to brake in an emergency, there is no lighting, no signals, and the rider is difficult to see, especially if laying down only inches off the ground. This activity has no business on the streets and I’m astounded council and the mayor wouldn’t come out forthwith and say so. Wake up parents. Wake up council.
There is a way • Mischa Chandler: Re: No longboard ban for Maple Ridge. There is most definitely a way to brake on a longboard in an emergency, you just don’t know what it is. Please take the time to educate yourself by watching these videos posted bellow. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLwQ0AHwZgg • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSP0ZQ6m1cg • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGuqsnuVIHA
Pitt CAO makes more than premier • Bruce McWilliam: Re: Pitt CAO makes more than White House staffer. The last time I checked –the B.C. Premier was making less than the Pitt CAO. Unbelievable. Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge should re-unite.
Call by-election • Sherri Bychyk: Re: Local Liberal legislators in transition, with hopes. Politicians should choose not to divide their energies between both civic and political duties. To be fair to Pitt Meadows citizens, a by-election should be called.
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www.mapleridgenews.com - THE NEWS -- Friday, June 14, 2013 -- 7
More than one victim in crash Editor, The News: Re: Boy injured in longboard collision (The News, June 12). With all hope for the young lad who was grievously injured while longboarding down the residential street, I feel compelled to underscore the obvious: the roadway is for vehicles, not for people playing on skate boards, roller blades, or for other games. Those are meant to be deployed in parks or other such pedestrian-type protected areas. It is ironic and so wrong when we encourage young people to play on the roadway that is the main stay of vehicular traffic, not children at play. For parents to post signs warning that ‘children are at play’ on the road is paramount to stating that they are allowing their children to partake in activity that knowingly is inherently dangerous, and that it is the motorists responsibility to provide care for their child. Our local government, and taxes, pay good money to provide children with recreational outlets. Roads are for vehicles. Parents should take children to a local park, skate park, or other such recreational protected area. Don’t put up signs on the roadway, announcing that your children are put in harm’s way and we, as motorists, are responsible for their care. As the parent of two, now fully grown children, we never considered allowing our children to play on the street. We were well aware of the danger of putting our kids lives in the hands of motorists. My heart goes out to the young child that was injured in the long boarding incident, and his parents, too. However, the driver of the vehicle struck by that youth is a also victim. Reg Dunlop Maple Ridge
THE NEWS/files
Some neighbours where the collision occurred are asking for traffic improvements.
Roundabout best Editor, The News: Re: Boy injured in longboard collision (The News, June 12). I live at the corner of McClure and Kimola drives and have thought that this intersection was a waiting accident. Most sunny days when school is out, I see kids skateboarding, longboarding, bike riding and rollerblading, shooting through the two-way stop without slowing. There’s nobody looking out for traffic at the intersection, nothing but blind chance.
Kimola winds around on a steep incline, continuing on through the intersection for a long run down. Our thoughts are with the 12 year old boy who was badly hurt, his family and the woman who he hit. Traumatic. My heart goes out to the boy’s friends who witnessed this. I could see how shaken they were. I believe that regardless of extra patrols, stop signs or driver awareness, that the best solution would be a roundabout, one with soft bumper pads. Wanda LaFlamme Maple Ridge
Unrelenting burden of increasing taxes must stop Editor, The News: As I read the various newspapers of this community, I am struck at the numerous letters in which local taxpayers have expressed serious concern for the ever increasing property tax burden being forced on home owners. It is as though municipal hall is either ignorant of these concerns or it is so arrogant that the message simply doesn’t settle its brain for processing. Let’s be clear: I am referring to district administration, not the everyday workers who ensure we have all of the necessary services of a vibrant, modern community. They, like so many of us, are simply trying to earn a decent income, maybe raise a family or take care of others in the family who find themselves in difficult times. I am talking about the administration, the people who drive our taxes though the roof for no other reason than
poor management. Whenever I express my dissatisfaction with the performance of this organization I am told, ‘If we want the best, then we need to pay top money.’ What is the best? What, exactly, is the job of municipal administrators? I would suggest priority No. 1 must be keeping property taxes under control. Maybe they could consider ability to pay when putting together the annual budget. There are so many ways to get taxes under control, but this seems to not be a consideration at budget time. Rather, it appears the theme is, ‘How much can we tax before there is a revolution,’ or, ‘How far can we push the lowly taxpayer before one or two crack?’ Well, here is a suggestion for Maple Ridge mayor and council: when the redevelopment of the downtown core took place and, being the
mega fiasco that it turned out to be, the citizens ended up purchasing the entire over-priced, project. Unless I am mistaken, that project was financed over 15 years. Therefore, it should nearly be paid for by now, if not, very soon. If the administration has not being fooling around with the agreed over-all plan for that project, the taxpayer should be seeing the benefits very soon. At that time, it was agreed that, at the end of the mortgage on the project, the district would either sell the project and use the funds to directly reduce the taxes; or divert all rental revenue from the various projects to reduce taxes. Any other use of those funds is contrary to the overall theme of the long-term agreement made with the taxpayers, in good faith, and the district, in order that the people accept the purchase
at that time. No money from this project is to be used to dream up yet another department, hire more staff to fill space which would otherwise not be required. It is to benefit, directly, home owners, who have been forced to carry this outlandish costs of the downtown project. By the way, this unrelenting burden of ever increasing property taxes must stop. Find another source to tax, like the railway. Also, tax goods shipped through Maple Ridge. Pitt Meadows must be raking in a killing from the CP Rail container facilities. Why not Maple Ridge? Lastly, enact a study of the amount of carbon emissions spewing from the train engines passing through Maple Ridge, then charge them a local carbon tax. Mike Boileau Maple Ridge