The most pressing issue facing Tofino's residents, obviously, is the simple fact that the District of Tofino does not have sufficient funds to satisfy the myriad of imaginative spending ideas constantly emerging from the district office. The wastewater treatment plant, at $16 million dollars, is only a part of it. Soon, we'll need a similar amount to upgrade our public water supply capacity. Then add the streets that need to be paved, sidewalks and curbs to be built, improvements to parks, additional funds for recreation, family and child programs, a new recreation center, Tofino's contribution to the multiplex, a regional transit system, over $3 million per year in district salaries, school contributions, police costs, etc. etc......and who knows what other ideas they'll come up with next. The list is long, the cost is huge, and there's no mention of words like "fiscal restraint". The current administration seems to choose to operate on the principal of "It sounds like a nice idea, let's raise taxes and do it!" Now, on top of this year's 53% property tax hike, we're being told that we need yet another tax increase in order to fund a regional transit system. Public transit, for various reasons, is probably a good idea, but where is the limit as to how much property tax the residents of Tofino can afford to pay? At what point does someone in the district office finally say "Sorry, we simply do not have the money, and the taxpayers cannot afford any more tax hikes."? Maybe we've already reached that point, I can think of sixteen million reasons to think that this might indeed be the case. Is there a solution to this financial hole that we're falling deeper and deeper into with every new project? Logic tells us that there are only two possible answers: Spend less, or earn more. The current administration is not going to spend less. Spending,especially on socially popular projects, will increase in the upcoming budget. Count on it. So the district will need to earn more. It's the only possible solution, except for going even further into debt. Property taxes are already double what other communities in B.C. pay, district fees are among the highest in the province. The local residents do not have any more money. Where will the money come from? There's the MRDT and RMI funds, but they're being tossed away on tourism promotion that we don't need and on "affordable housing" that never gets built and that no one can afford anyway. We need to find another source of revenue to support the infrastructure required to service the hundreds of thousands of visitors that we receive every year, and remove that burden from the local taxpayer. There's no other solution, we need another source of funding. The 1800 residents of Tofino will NEVER be able to supply the resources required by hundreds of thousands of tourists. NEVER.
As I read this article, listening to the candidates explain their priorities, I saw references to tiny homes, arts, culture, recreation, child care, communication, and housing. I saw increased fees and hoping for grants suggested as solutions. I will not vote for any of these candidates. I also saw Ms. Thicke speaking directly to what I feel is the biggest issue facing Tofino, the fact that we have a $16 million debt, and the hole is getting deeper, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. At least one voice seems to "get it". I'll vote for Cathy.
I appreciate Ronnie Lee's platform supporting lobbying government to grant Tofino additional taxation tools, in order to meet the costs related to tourism based infrastructure. I believe that he has a grasp of what Tofino really needs to be focused upon. Unfortunately, I also believe that he hasn't the experience required to stand up to those currently in power, and thereby make his vision a reality. Good guy, good ideas, but Cathy Thicke has years of experience and local connections that Ronnie hasn't yet gained. I believe that Cathy can get more done. And God knows there's lots to do. I thank Ronnie for stepping up and offering to serve our community. Please stay informed and involved, Mr. Lee, Tofino needs young citizens like yourself to lead us into our future.
I agree, Cathy Thicke comes across as having focus and intention. Unlike most of the other candidates who are all over the map she knows what she is going to try to accomplish She will get my vote. Too many councillors get elected because Tofino is wonderful and I will do my best to do something.
Time for council to do something other than run up the bill. Not one councillor indicates they are interested in approving any private residential development. But most want to see more housing, "affordable housing" This is a huge disconnect. Gov't is not the primary vehicle to solve our housing woes. And new housing contributes to the tax base,
7 years of tax and spend was more than enough.If that is what you define as experience you are delusional. Between 2011 and 2018 spending in Tofino went up at an insane rate. That was on her watch.
Ya I hear you about Cathy Thicke she's had her turn. but I have surprised myself and am going to vote for her. Very few people in Tofino challenged the many years of Tax and Spend. Perhaps the Ratepayers association is having an effect, that, and the recent announcements of astronomical proportions have woke people up. She is the only one who identifies the issue clearly and is prepared to take it head on. I suspect her absence has given her time to reflect and a new perspective is showing that and the realization that many young families, and old families are struggling to make a go of it in Tuff. She has kids, young adults actually who have come up against the realities of trying to live in Tofino. An extra thousand or two of taxes is crushing to young working people on top of a steep and deep mortgage. She has also criticised the "Overtourism" resulting from the MRDT and can now be identified as an agent of change re the status quo if she were to get elected. I certainly don't mean to speak for her or put words in her mouth. This is my own opinion about what I see.
Another informative article appeared on the Westerly news online website this morning https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/tofino-byelection-candidates-lay-out-what-sets-them-apart/
Little bio of the candidates, seems like a lot of them just copy and pasted previous answers. Omar seems to have lived a full and interesting life though. He’s got my vote.
Ronnie claims to be an advocate for the fight against climate change, but his entire campaign vote brisket is making a mockery of our elections like it’s some sort of meat competition. I don’t think any of that mass farmed beef and pork, shipped on a truck, and cooked using fossil fuels can even come close to being environmentally friendly, there isn’t even a local dish on his menu. The only determination he has it seems is for the well being of his business and using this campaign period to promote it. I for one will not be voting lil Ronnie.
I agree Lil Ronnie,s campaign is now resembling a wrestling promotion. Can not take the guy seriously. We need a candidate who is not going to council to get along with everyone We need some independent critical thinking and some serious debate. Most of the candidates are saying what they think you want to hear to secure your vote. Brisket my ass, the pied piper is going down, just a new age huckster. Guy should hire himself out at kids birthday parties as a clown.
Thank you Ralph for giving us a platform to be able to communicate with the people of this community. And to the people of Tofino, thank you for participating in our elections, the most important right which we should exercise as often as we can is voting. Thank you to all the other candidates who are running, regardless of the outcome we did our community a service by creating good healthy dialogue without resorting to smear politics which is how it should be. Good luck to you all.
Thanks to Ralph's blog we know a lot more about how things work in tofino, what's happening, what's going to happen, and what happened. A fair number of people who live here don't want to know about corruption in our cute little village, outright lies politicians have attempted to foist up on us, dastardly consultants reports costing thousands and accomplishing nothing, salaries that go through the roof, conflicts of interest, underhanded dealings here and there, and of course exposing some of the CEOs and other officials as fakes charlatans and thieves. Ralph does his homework to back his statements with research and a great deal of experience of the nuts and bolts in tofino. Unfortunately the conformist sheep who make up a great deal of the community do not want to know or think about their darlings on council - the pretty faces who lie to you while smiling away; the shrewd business managers who treat enormous expenses as though they were a teenager with dad's car and a credit card, oh, and a referendum? Go pound sand sheep. If you want to organize any resistance organize a counter petition your own self and see how that goes. One would expect that the new tofino ratepayers association might address some of these things that aren't political. i hope so. the news comes out here.
Hey Folks, just came across this the other night. Just wanted to say thanks to Ralph for the kind words and support over these past three years. I ran for council because I love my community, and I find this day and age people are quick to post their opinions in online forums and social media rather then showing up to things where they can actually make a difference. I want to be a positive contributor to this town, because it deserves it and so do the wonderful people who live here.
When I tossed my name in the hat for this election I was really nervous about what people would have to say, it took a lot of courage and I don’t regret it for a second. It was a great learning experience and very rewarding.
If you take the time to get to know me a bit better over the next couple years you will see that my campaign reflected the fun, energetic approach I take to life. It may have not been something you’re used to seeing but neither am I. I encourage you all to come by one of the community dinners I am helping with or hosting this Holiday season and have a bite and a chat.
I should also mention that 95% the food served at our restaurant is locally sourced through the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild. You can put your mind at ease knowing that we work with local businesses such as Picnic Meats, Summit Breads, Tofino Brewery, Tofino Distillery, Wolf in the fog and Surf Rider Pacific Rim on a daily basis to reduce our Carbon footprint. It warms my heart to know that people in this town care about that as much as I do.
15 comments:
The most pressing issue facing Tofino's residents, obviously, is the simple fact that the District of Tofino does not have sufficient funds to satisfy the myriad of imaginative spending ideas constantly emerging from the district office. The wastewater treatment plant, at $16 million dollars, is only a part of it. Soon, we'll need a similar amount to upgrade our public water supply capacity. Then add the streets that need to be paved, sidewalks and curbs to be built, improvements to parks, additional funds for recreation, family and child programs, a new recreation center, Tofino's contribution to the multiplex, a regional transit system, over $3 million per year in district salaries, school contributions, police costs, etc. etc......and who knows what other ideas they'll come up with next. The list is long, the cost is huge, and there's no mention of words like "fiscal restraint". The current administration seems to choose to operate on the principal of "It sounds like a nice idea, let's raise taxes and do it!"
Now, on top of this year's 53% property tax hike, we're being told that we need yet another tax increase in order to fund a regional transit system. Public transit, for various reasons, is probably a good idea, but where is the limit as to how much property tax the residents of Tofino can afford to pay?
At what point does someone in the district office finally say "Sorry, we simply do not have the money, and the taxpayers cannot afford any more tax hikes."? Maybe we've already reached that point, I can think of sixteen million reasons to think that this might indeed be the case.
Is there a solution to this financial hole that we're falling deeper and deeper into with every new project? Logic tells us that there are only two possible answers: Spend less, or earn more.
The current administration is not going to spend less. Spending,especially on socially popular projects, will increase in the upcoming budget. Count on it.
So the district will need to earn more. It's the only possible solution, except for going even further into debt. Property taxes are already double what other communities in B.C. pay, district fees are among the highest in the province. The local residents do not have any more money. Where will the money come from?
There's the MRDT and RMI funds, but they're being tossed away on tourism promotion that we don't need and on "affordable housing" that never gets built and that no one can afford anyway.
We need to find another source of revenue to support the infrastructure required to service the hundreds of thousands of visitors that we receive every year, and remove that burden from the local taxpayer. There's no other solution, we need another source of funding. The 1800 residents of Tofino will NEVER be able to supply the resources required by hundreds of thousands of tourists. NEVER.
As I read this article, listening to the candidates explain their priorities, I saw references to tiny homes, arts, culture, recreation, child care, communication, and housing. I saw increased fees and hoping for grants suggested as solutions. I will not vote for any of these candidates.
I also saw Ms. Thicke speaking directly to what I feel is the biggest issue facing Tofino, the fact that we have a $16 million debt, and the hole is getting deeper, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. At least one voice seems to "get it". I'll vote for Cathy.
I appreciate Ronnie Lee's platform supporting lobbying government to grant Tofino additional taxation tools, in order to meet the costs related to tourism based infrastructure. I believe that he has a grasp of what Tofino really needs to be focused upon.
Unfortunately, I also believe that he hasn't the experience required to stand up to those currently in power, and thereby make his vision a reality.
Good guy, good ideas, but Cathy Thicke has years of experience and local connections that Ronnie hasn't yet gained. I believe that Cathy can get more done. And God knows there's lots to do.
I thank Ronnie for stepping up and offering to serve our community. Please stay informed and involved, Mr. Lee, Tofino needs young citizens like yourself to lead us into our future.
I agree, Cathy Thicke comes across as having focus and intention. Unlike most of the other candidates who are all over the map she knows what she is going to try to accomplish She will get my vote. Too many councillors get elected because Tofino is wonderful and I will do my best to do something.
Time for council to do something other than run up the bill. Not one councillor indicates they are interested in approving any private residential development. But most want to see more housing, "affordable housing" This is a huge disconnect. Gov't is not the primary vehicle to solve our housing woes. And new housing contributes to the tax base,
7 years of tax and spend was more than enough.If that is what you define as experience you are delusional. Between 2011 and 2018 spending in Tofino went up at an insane rate. That was on her watch.
I think Cathy has had her turn, spending increased at an incredible rate during her term. No consideration for us the taxpayers.
Ya I hear you about Cathy Thicke she's had her turn. but I have surprised myself and am going to vote for her. Very few people in Tofino challenged the many years of Tax and Spend. Perhaps the Ratepayers association is having an effect, that, and the recent announcements of astronomical proportions have woke people up.
She is the only one who identifies the issue clearly and is prepared to take it head on. I suspect her absence has given her time to reflect and a new perspective is showing that and the realization that many young families, and old families are struggling to make a go of it in Tuff. She has kids, young adults actually who have come up against the realities of trying to live in Tofino. An extra thousand or two of taxes is crushing to young working people on top of a steep and deep mortgage. She has also criticised the "Overtourism" resulting from the MRDT and can now be identified as an agent of change re the status quo if she were to get elected. I certainly don't mean to speak for her or put words in her mouth. This is my own opinion about what I see.
Another informative article appeared on the Westerly news online website this morning https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/tofino-byelection-candidates-lay-out-what-sets-them-apart/
Get informed! Get out there! VOTE!!
https://sophielhomme.wixsite.com/tofinoelection2019/omar-soliman
Little bio of the candidates, seems like a lot of them just copy and pasted previous answers. Omar seems to have lived a full and interesting life though. He’s got my vote.
Ronnie claims to be an advocate for the fight against climate change, but his entire campaign vote brisket is making a mockery of our elections like it’s some sort of meat competition. I don’t think any of that mass farmed beef and pork, shipped on a truck, and cooked using fossil fuels can even come close to being environmentally friendly, there isn’t even a local dish on his menu. The only determination he has it seems is for the well being of his business and using this campaign period to promote it. I for one will not be voting lil Ronnie.
I agree Lil Ronnie,s campaign is now resembling a wrestling promotion. Can not take the guy seriously. We need a candidate who is not going to council to get along with everyone We need some independent critical thinking and some serious debate. Most of the candidates are saying what they think you want to hear to secure your vote. Brisket my ass, the pied piper is going down, just a new age huckster. Guy should hire himself out at kids birthday parties as a clown.
Lil Ronnie reminds me of Trump peddling steaks at a campaign event three years ago. How did that one work out?
Ronnie cooks with wood , not fossil fuels. Good on him for running . Thanks to all that put their names forward for consideration.
Thank you Ralph for giving us a platform to be able to communicate with the people of this community. And to the people
of Tofino, thank you for participating in our elections, the most important right which we should exercise as often as we can is voting. Thank you to all the other candidates who are running, regardless of the outcome we did our community a service by creating good healthy dialogue without resorting to smear politics which is how it should be. Good luck to you all.
Thanks to Ralph's blog we know a lot more about how things work in tofino, what's happening, what's going to happen, and what happened.
A fair number of people who live here don't want to know about corruption in our cute little village, outright lies politicians have attempted to foist up on us, dastardly consultants reports costing thousands and accomplishing nothing, salaries that go through the roof, conflicts of interest, underhanded dealings here and there, and of course exposing some of the CEOs and other officials as fakes charlatans and thieves.
Ralph does his homework to back his statements with research and a great deal of experience of the nuts and bolts in tofino. Unfortunately the conformist sheep who make up a great deal of the community do not want to know or think about their darlings on council - the pretty faces who lie to you while smiling away; the shrewd business managers who treat enormous expenses as though they were a teenager with dad's car and a credit card, oh, and a referendum? Go pound sand sheep. If you want to organize any resistance organize a counter petition your own self and see how that goes.
One would expect that the new tofino ratepayers association might address some of these things that aren't political. i hope so.
the news comes out here.
Hey Folks, just came across this the other night. Just wanted to say thanks to Ralph for the kind words and support over these past three years. I ran for council because I love my community, and I find this day and age people are quick to post their opinions in online forums and social media rather then showing up to things where they can actually make a difference. I want to be a positive contributor to this town, because it deserves it and so do the wonderful people who live here.
When I tossed my name in the hat for this election I was really nervous about what people would have to say, it took a lot of courage and I don’t regret it for a second. It was a great learning experience and very rewarding.
If you take the time to get to know me a bit better over the next couple years you will see that my campaign reflected the fun, energetic approach I take to life. It may have not been something you’re used to seeing but neither am I. I encourage you all to come by one of the community dinners I am helping with or hosting this Holiday season and have a bite and a chat.
I should also mention that 95% the food served at our restaurant is locally sourced through the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild. You can put your mind at ease knowing that we work with local businesses such as Picnic Meats, Summit Breads, Tofino Brewery, Tofino Distillery, Wolf in the fog and Surf Rider Pacific Rim on a daily basis to reduce our Carbon footprint. It warms my heart to know that people in this town care about that as much as I do.
Happy Holidays,
Ronnie Lee
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