The top issues for this election include:
Taxes.
These have increased by 30% between 2022 and 2026 with the complicity of all but one of the previous council members. This is beyond inflation and services have not increased in proportion. Strict budgetary control is needed.
Salaries.
These have ballooned during the past session. See Pamphlet 1. Such increases will not be countenanced in the next session.
Conflict of Solicitor and Integrity Commissioner.
There is no justification for these two roles being contracted to the same legal practice.
External Threats.
The Council needs to have agile working groups that provide expert advice directly to the Council itself, and not filtered through staff. Staff input is valued, but should not be imposed on working group recommendations. Council is capable of weighing advice. Preparation and plans for external threats including climate change; wildfires and high speed rail need to be made and updated.
Legal Costs.
A summary of these will be found at Pamphlet 2. When compared with other municipalities, TVT spends 2.5 times the amount on legal fees.
Live Streaming.
The technical arrangement of this is archaic – using a fixed wide angle lens; cropping the visual component of contributors; not transmitting the texts of presentations; and not recording the proceedings are all in need of improvement. All public comment to Council should be noted.
Unassumed Roads.
The past Council forced all property owners, whether on an “Unassumed Road” or not, to appeal an egregious by-law and restore the status quo for a cost of well over $200,000. In the next session this complex issue needs to be addressed with transparent consultation.