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Prince Rupert Regional Information Site

SQCRD mtg

Another look

Issues arising from meeting

 

At left Gord Usher asks question about application of the Regional District’s zoning Bylaw.

For example several (Sandspit) properties zoned Residential have gone into the business of renting out facilities to Tourists/ Sport fishers – some along with ‘illegal’ trailers etc on their properties

 

Requires more research by staff to address 

 

 

Gas Tax monies as Cash Cow – See no Evil

Hey here is a great idea – use public funds intended to reduce GHG emissions, improve air or water quality (Gas Tax Fund) for local dump closure ---something that has to be done anyways – but use Federal rather than local $$ to do it --- saves on local taxes and ‘we’ can argue it is really meant to clean up the water/ fish habitat

But is it an Eligible Project?

 

 

Here is from the UBCM- Federal agreement

Long document available as html or as PDF Version (Size: 428 KB)

 

Dump Closures not eligible per se – but we will just green wash the project

 

Eligible Projects

Above excerpted from PDF

 

But does it meet the criteria? Presumably arguing it will reduce environmental impact – but is it incremental to what has to be done anyways?

 

 

(Ab)use of Green Tax Fund part 2 – Oona River uses it for fixing up the recreation facility

I have taken item left from a previous page where SQCRD committed to using Gas Tax Funding for upgrade --- there are 2 problems here: Oona River does not own the building (School District 52 does) therefore ineligible for Gas Tax $$$ (perhaps they fudged a little believing they could buy it from the District – but eventually had to settle for a lease)

 

While there might be some argument that Gas Tax Fund used for insulation or some such – hard to see how it qualifies as an Eligible Project

(though Tourism facilities OK for Building Canada Fund)

The 2nd problem is that Gas Tax Fund rebates done on a per capita basis – thus Oona river population 20 gets to use the money while Reserves etc get nada – previously I called this new style Neo-Colonialism

 

Here I argued that SQCRD dividing into Rural areas etc stemmed from Gas Tax $$ ‘

 

And links there where ‘irony’ is that most the population Electoral Areas is First Nations while Oona River (population 20) spends the $$ thus a form of Neo-Colonialism and see my earlier on Paddy Greene as using ‘code words’

 

Here is a note at end this file in June 2009 the Gas Tax $$ had increased to $308,837 but noted could only be spent on ‘specific projects’

See my previous on inequities of Gas Tax monies

Here is my first mention Gas Tax $$ then 159T$ to SQCRD

 

Then Feb 2008 where Gas Tax – at that time for Water treatment Dodge Cove and Port Clements – both legitimate uses

 

At this meeting in October 2008 SQCRD was pledging next 4 years of Gas Tax $$ to Oona River Tourism facility upgrade

 

Last November SQCRD file list the projects – including Sandspit and Oona River Community Hall facilities

 

 

SQCRD

Mussallem spoke at length during last Friday meeting about short comings of Local Elections Act – where according to him the rules for reporting expenses etc too complex and incomprehensible – others agreed and added that the requirement to have a separate bank account was unreasonable in some rural communities where no facilities available locally etc

Here is the web site for the ‘Election issues’ reform

http://www.localelectionstaskforce.gov.bc.ca/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Created by LG on 25/2/2010

Last updated on Thursday, February 25, 2010