Re: Mayor’s opinion on rail out of touch with CRD (Letters, June 1)
In this letter to the editor, a reader thought Mayor Frank Leonard’s statement that Greater Victoria residents should have a say before their property taxes increase to pay for the proposed LRT project was extremely disingenuous.
I am not disputing the merits of LRT but I don’t feel, in this case, the words ‘tax increase’ are inflammatory, rather a reality as it will not be a cost-neutral project.
I anticipate future tax increases for transit system, regardless of any options taken, so the question is not ‘if?’ but ‘how much?’
It is my understanding that the nearly billion-dollar cost and the projected property taxes increase were estimates by the transit staff.
With the constant rising of living expenses, it is increasingly challenging for people to afford all the worthy things in life.
Personally, I am grateful that any elected official cares enough about my affordability to seek my view for the tax increase. If the HST was handled similarly, we might not be in our current quandary.
K. L. So
Saanich