[quote=“jamesbrown”]
I am starting to have a change of heart regarding Lee as much as I still wish he was running for a Councillor, change may be good … I still expect that Jack will return but not as sure as i once was given 4 candidates and the split that will create. Lee is the only candidate that speaks of the rental crisis and his connection to Jennifer Rice may be good as she is just learning as well so they can both assist each other to some extent.[/quote]
I agree with you on a lot of things and appreciate that more than others here you’re inclined to see the best in people, but I don’t think that it is the job of a Mayor to form a support group with a rookie MLA to try to make up for their respective skills and experience deficiencies. Besides, Ms Rice’s daytimer seems to be pretty full with many events to attend, at least judging by the photo collection on her twitter feed.
Among other things, the Mayor and council have a public works department to run that provides essential services that people generally take for granted, until there is a boil water advisory. In terms of aging infrastructure Rupert is in a situation that should be cause for grave concern.
Housing has been on the agenda at recent council meetings. North Coast Review posted an overview this morning: < northcoastreview.blogspot.ca/201 … y-for.html >. The Province has committed to some additional social housing units, which is good.
Housing shortages, high rents and renovictions are important issues, no doubt about it. But what is a City government supposed to do about those issues, not generally, but specifically? And where does the money come from and at what cost to other services, including those that residents take for granted?
I have no doubt that some landlords seeking higher rents abuse tenant rights, but the Province has a complaints process that works pretty well if tenants bother to go to Service BC and pick up an information package or talk to an officer. Should the City be funding advisory services, for instance, to augment the Residential Tenancy Branch?
Should the City build social housing units? The Mayor of Vancouver is talking about building 4000 units, but they have an enormous tax base. Rupert apparently cannot even afford to spend $10-15K to hold a referendum on financing upgrades to the police station.
Cities can use a variety of planning powers to encourage changes in property markets, such as by requiring that housing developments include so many family units, and allowing smaller lot sizes and lane access to new housing. That is all contingent, though, on there being new housing development, but there isn’t much of that in Rupert. It has a lot of fixer-uppers from when the population was much larger.
All too often the Mayor and council preoccupy themselves with important issues that they really have no control over. At a recent meeting they were talking about efforts to boost the minimum wage. Important? Yes. Something that a municipal government should be spending time and resources on? No. The same could be said about their inclination to act like an environmental review board for proposed projects outside City limits. Sometimes they even seem to think that they can influence fisheries policies.
Housing is an important issue, no doubt about it. But if making rental housing more affordable becomes a major campaign issue, be sure to ask the candidate what they plan to do about it, and ask for specifics.
Because, you know, if there’s one thing that a broke city should be doing, it’s competing with Telus, Bell and Rogers!
