A Cranbrook resident is spearheading a campaign against the city's plan to potentially borrow $10 million for road and infrastructure upgrades.
Wendell Dalke, along with other concerned citizens, are taking the city to task over the proposed plan, which will mean increases to residential and business taxes.
"We're fixing roads right now and that's good, but this plan to borrow $10 million will be an unnecessary tax burden," said Dalke. "I'm all for fixing roads, but lets do that by searching for government funding and grants instead through a tax increase."
According to a pamphlet that Dalke and the group have put together, the loan will take 20 years to pay off, while tax hits will be $31 per $100,000 in residential assessed value and $56 per $100,000 of assessed value for business owners.
The group says that there is a projected general property tax increase of 2.26 per cent in 2016 and a projected increase of 3.68 per cent in 2017, with more increases to follow over the following three years.
Instead of taking a $10 million loan that will take 20 years to pay off, Dalke says there is a one per cent dedicated road tax that is available for road repair. It's estimated that the dedicated tax will raise just under the $10 million of a planned $32.7 million in road projects by 2020.
He also points to programs from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and the federal government that are putting a priority focus on funding municipal infrastructure projects.
Dalke is urging anyone opposed to the city's plan to borrow $10 million to fill out an elector response form and submit it to city hall. Forms can be filled out at city hall or online at www.cranbrook.ca
In order for the loan to move forward, the city needs less than 10 per cent of electoral response forms against the plan. If more than 10 per cent of electoral response forms are against the plan, the loan will not move forward.
If anyone is interested in getting involved with Dalke's campaign, he can be reached at 250-489-3909.