I would like to respond to the recent letter from Eleanor Munro, Taxes squandered on commercial yard waste disposal. I have been a homeowner in Saanich for almost 20 years, paying property taxes for each of those years. I am a certified horticulture technician and some of my clients are in Saanich.
On the days I work in Saanich I use the compost yard. My clients are mostly older and for some it is impossible for them to take their garden waste away. (My disposal of numerous clients waste at one time also keeps more cars off the road). I do not charge disposal fees for dumping, only for my time. My clients are homeowners who also pay Saanich property taxes. I am aware that a number of my clients have been in contact with the managers to discuss my dumping of their waste in lieu of them doing it themselves. I also have letters from clients stating the days I have worked for them.
On days where I work in other municipalities, I pay for the services of Hartland Landfill or D and L bins.
I find the men who work at the yard to be very professional. I am clean and respectful of the space and employees, I do not dump things into the bins that are banned, which is far more than can be said for many of the general public.
I often come across the attitude that because I do physical labour I must be somewhat poor and stupid. I am neither. Nor do I commit tax fraud and the suggestion that I do is extremely insulting. I am in good standing with Worksafe BC, my liability insurance and GST payments.
Generally the lineups at the waste yard move quickly. There are times when it is obviously busier than others but the hours it is open are very generous.
Lorraine Martin
Saanich