Readers write - A puzzle for you!

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS?

I guarantee you won't believe it!

Can you get it on the first picture or second or third or, do you have to wait till the fourth?

IT IS . . .

Canada's NEWEST prison just outside of Toronto

 
 

And yeah, they can also choose from the menu !

Let me see now ..Which government is responsible for this beautiful "punishment center"?


Oh yes, our current government!!!!

Compare this to all Residential Care and Nursing Homes for our Seniors!

PLEASE PASS THIS ON!

MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THIS

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SERVICE AREA AFFECTED BY THE ANTWERP DEEP WELL SUPPLY REACTIVATION

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ANTWERP DEEP WELL SUPPLY REACTIVATION – LAVINGTON AREA

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Public meeting - Lavington re: Antwerp Spring

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Gardeners! For your attention.

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Complaints about water bills.

Many residents approached me with concerns about their new water bill. They are unhappy about the very high flat fee GVW charges  which is a disincentive to saving water.

I agree with their concerns.

While GVW’s policy is to recover costs through “user pay” in reality they are not doing so. The $78.12 flat fee ($312.48 annually) is basically a parcel tax as it is applied regardless of water use. Just to compare the magnitude of this tax consider Coldstream’s municipal tax on a $400,000 property at $784,76 annually. In fact, I received a complaint from a lot owner whose municipal tax almost equaled his water fee. He used no water.

Part of our water cost recovery is certainly not user pay, in fact, it is the most regressive form of taxation as it is applied to each property regardless of its value. This tax provides almost $8 million revenue to the water utility. Granted, there is a potential 80 cubic meters of water available for this price but many will not use all of the allowable volume.

There are fairer options available for covering the costs of the utility.

My preference would be ad-valorem taxation for financing infrastructure costs. The current cost of our borrowed funds ($35 million) is about $2.5 million annually. To cover this sum an approximate mil rate of 0.2 would be charged to the properties of water customers. A property worth $500,000 would be paying $100 annually.

An access fee of $25 per quarter ($100 annually)  would cover administrative costs, such as meter reading and billing costs.

The rest of the budget should be collected through user pay. This would be a fairer user pay system.

A future article will tackle the fairness of the amount collected by GVW and the fairness of the current graduated block fees.

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RDNO news - Water issues.

 

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I am concerned about the next water plan as the previous two plans produced limited and unsatisfactory results. It is almost like we are proceeding on a trial-and-error basis at the customers' expense. We need a cohesive and affordable plan that will serve Greater Vernon residents for years to come. I want to be the taxpayers eyes and ears at the planning stage and not just a rubber stamp after the consultants come up with a plan just as it happened before.

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Useful household tips in case you have not seen them!

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Information from the District of Coldstream.

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Coldstream Council meeting, July 23, 2012.

Agenda package.

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Photo gallery - It's baby time! - Debbie

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Regional District Board Meeting - July 18, 2012.

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