Education: Local students learning that Kindness Counts. 9
Gardening: The flower that gives back. 13
Life: Saxon wins ‘Superbowl.’ 3 Friday, Februar y 26, 2016 · mapleridgenews.com · est. 1978 · (office) 604-467-1122 · (del ive r y) 6 0 4 - 4 6 6 - 6 3 9 7
Bar owner looking at medical marijuana Looking to get ahead of new federal laws By Phil M elnyc h u k pmelnychuk@mapleridgenews.com
Chris Fairfax is looking into the future and sees one where marijuana gets equal if not greater billing than alcohol. He’s thinking about joining the ranks of stores that are selling medicinal, even recreational pot, providing he can do so legally. Fairfax, who owns The Wolf Bar on Lougheed Highway, told Maple Ridge council Tuesday that he pays $1,200 a year each for his business and liquor licences, that medicinal marijuana stores have no licences. “I’m not here to complain about them or have them shut down. I just want an equal playing field.” See Marijuana, 12
Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS
Colleen Briere, who runs Weeds Glass and Gifts on 225th Street, welcomes the ruling that allows people to grow their own medical marijuana.
Masse wants clarity on rec costs By Phil M elnyc h u k pmelnychuk@mapleridgenews.com
Coun. Bob Masse agrees Maple Ridge needs to upgrade its recreation infrastructure, which could include new sports fields, a swimming pool or maybe even a stadium. But Monday he voted against taking any more steps towards making that happen until’s he’s sure taxpay-
$ 549,900
ers have a clearer idea of the actual numbers and how it will affect their property bills in future years. “What does it mean to the tax bill? Masse asked Tuesday. “I think the public needs to know that this is what we’re offering. I just feel that the public should be understanding it more.” He also sought clarification on how important it was for the city to have senior governments chip in money. Council, at its workshop meeting Monday, told staff to put the proj-
ects, everything from new parks and trails to a new museum, into priority and to create a schedule and a public consultation process so voters can approve or reject any borrowing needed. He noted that a staff report says that borrowing $110 million to pay for the Masse new projects would be financed by a .75-per-cent property tax increase over eight years, from 2017 to 2024.
That works out to a sixper-cent tax increase over that period, and that’s even without compounding the increase, Masse pointed out. And when it comes to paying for the operating costs for such facilities, taxpayers will be hit again. Masse said the annual cost of operating a wellness and aquatic centre could be about $1.8 million. That extra sum could produce another three-per-
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cent increase in taxes, effectively bringing the increase to nine per cent after eight years. Then there’s the fact that the taxes that were being used to pay off previous debt, won’t decrease when that debt is retired in 2017, and instead simply will be carried over to pay for new recreation infrastructure. “The tax implications should be part of the discussions in a way that the people really understand.” Masse may still support the recreation plan, eventually. See Recreation, 11 Rise and shine with our English Muffin Bacon & Egger. It features the best ingredients known to breakfast: melted cheese, Canadian eggs and crispy bacon, from pork raised without the use of antibiotics. And at only $2.50, this breakfast is worth getting out of bed for.
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What would projects mean to tax bills?