age
ENJOYING ART AND AGRICULTURE
page
8
DISPLAY COULD SAVE DISCOVERY CENTRE
page
4
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 NewsLeader AX
THREE KEYS TO RENOVATION
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 18 2015 www.newwestnewsleader.com
Patrick Johnstone will be leading a walk between a rock and a hard place Page A3
Charges laid against SkyTrain walker Incidents at two New West stations
Getting answers on transit vote Referendum Questions is a Black Press series exploring issues related to the Metro Vancouver transit and transportation referendum. Voters must mail in ballots by May 29 on whether they support the addition of a 0.5 per cent sales tax in the region, called the Congestion Improvement Tax, to fund billions of dollars worth of upgrades. Read more in this series on our website.
Referendum question: How much will the sales tax increase cost? Jeff Nagel Black Press
The Yes and No sides use very different estimates of what the extra 0.5 per cent Congestion Improvement Tax will cost the typical family. The Mayors’ Council pegs the per household cost of the sales tax hike
at an average of $125 per year based on statistics on spending patterns and how much the province now collects in PST from the region. It says the increase works out to 35 cents a day, and the extra tax would be $3 on a $600 new sofa or $150 on a $30,000 car. The No side’s Jordan Bateman rejects the $125 figure and estimates a real household cost of $258 a year. His estimate – from simply dividing the $250 million to be raised each
WE SPECIALIZE IN SELLING NEW WESTMINSTER HOUSES AND CONDOS ★ RANKED #2 SALES TEAM RE/MAX ADVANTAGE FOR JANUARY SALES! ★
MEDALLION CLUB MEMBER 2014
Ward Ward
★ Alves CELL 604.319.5593 ★ WWW.BRYNWARD.COM Ward Licensed REALTOR Licensed REALTOR FOR LISTING DETAILS & PHOTOS
®
®
Assistant to Bryn Ward REALTOR®
OFFER PENDING: #12- 15168 66A AV, SURREY 5BED/4BATH NEW PRICES: #309- 7655 EDMONDS ST. BURNABY 1BED/1BATH+DEN • #209- 580 12TH ST. NEW WEST 2BED/2BATH!
$599,900
Please see DIFFICULT TO SAY, A5
The Frame Shop
CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMING
Simply the finest service, selection and quality! Master craftsman 35+ years.
FIVE STAR SERVICE ★ OUTSTANDING RESULTS
CALL FOR A COMPLIMENTARY MARKET EVALUATION & BUYERS CONSULTATION
Advantage
year by the number of households in the region – assumes every new tax dollar paid by businesses would be downloaded to their customers through higher prices. That’s flawed, because some of the sales tax paid by Metro Vancouver businesses is on products exported elsewhere to be bought by customers who don’t live in the region. Some is charged on business-tobusiness transactions.
ESTIMATES ALWAYS ARE FREE | www.theframeshop.ca
By appointment. Call or email Peter Berger | info@theframeshop.ca
121 Third Avenue, New Westminster | Est. 1946
604-521-0930
Twelve charges have been laid against a Surrey man for incidents at two New Westminster SkyTrain stations. Transit Police said two men broke into the 22nd Street SkyTrain station on March 1 at about 3:30 a.m., and then broke into an ATM at the station, removing the cash box. On March 3, at 4:45 a.m., New Westminster police responded to a report of a break-in at the Braid Street station. The suspect tried to break into a ticket vending machine and then broke into the station office, said police. The NWPD arrested him a short time later as he walked along the SkyTrain tracks toward the Lougheed station. Transit Police said they recognized the suspect as one of those in the March 1 incident. Police also recovered a significant quantity of cash during the investigation. Crown counsel has approved NWPDrecommended charges against Peter Harvey Hogan, 48, of break and enter, theft over $5,000, possession of break-in instruments, and disguising his face with intention to commit an offence. Please see DOZEN, A8