Context is everything. Information taken out of context can be used to support any position you might want to promote. An example of this unfolded during the public meeting on April 4 in Castlegar, relating to the upcoming referendum on expanding curbside collection services for Area J neighbourhoods including Ootischenia, Robson, Deer Park, Raspberry, and Fairview in the RDCK.
RDCK presenters shared that before any steps were taken to research this, an opportunity was given in 2020 for Area J households to fill out a survey to support or oppose the RDCK doing a viability study to expand current curbside collection to include garbage and food waste. RDCK employees stated that this resulted in 55 per cent of survey respondents voting to support a viability study.
This seemed convincing, until someone in the audience asked for more specifics. RDCK presenters revealed that 109 residents (NOT households) submitted surveys. Of these, 60 residents supported a viability study on curbside collection of food waste and garbage. This is 55 per cent of initially-received surveys (and the majority needed) in order to have begun the viability study in 2020.
Only 60 individuals’ surveys were “in favour” out of 3,305 residents (RDCK estimates that 1,437 households have an average of 2.3 residents each). Although 60 individuals is 55 per cent of the total surveys submitted, this is only 1.8 per cent of total residents (NOT households) in Area J.
This “majority” of surveys began the study for an expansion that could cost each Area J household $283 annually in taxes. This expansion will not cover its yearly costs, even if resulting high quality processed compost is sold. This seems like an additional tax that many people can’t easily afford (for a service that up to 98 per cent of the 3,305 Area J residents may neither need nor want).
Referendum results on May 11 will apply to ALL Area J households. You cannot opt-out, which means that 1.8 per cent of residents will have potentially started an expansion raising taxes by $283 every year, for ALL 1,437 Area J households. At the five year mark provision is included for an up to 25 per cent cost increase for the next five years, per household per year (up from $283 to $353). And after that?
We take environmental stewardship seriously, like all the people at that meeting, whether they are for or against this expanded curbside collection. Regardless of the best intentions of those promoting this, its tax increase comes at a time when inflation and the federal government’s imposition of an ever-increasing carbon tax forces more and more Canadians to choose between buying fuel or food.
For anyone in RDCK Area J, your vote about this potential expansion on May 1 (advance voting) or May 11 (general voting day) matters, whether for or against. Why should under two per cent of Area J residents decide to let the RDCK increase your yearly taxes? PLEASE VOTE!
Peter Koteles
Castelgar B.C.
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