LETTER: Special interest groups drive OCP

I was flabbergasted to see the headline, in the May 18 newspaper, “Speak now or forever hold your peace” on an article about Squamish’s Official Community Plan.

For 25 years, this will be the template the bureaucrats will use for the development of our community. A grassroots process. Who do they think they are fooling? 

The rough end result was known from the get go. 

It is sold as some kind of celestial document. It is merely a coincidence that it dovetails with our mayors’ vision. There goes the turnip truck.

A few changes on the margins were allowed but the footprint was never up for negotiation. 

Special interest groups drove this bus. It might have been different special interest than 30 years ago but it was special interest. 

A new mayor will be elected who has different ideas and will change this.

There is the question of where does the money come from to pay the extra costs associated with the requirement for additional costs of education. That’s if we can keep the money from disappearing in the pit we call government.

I really expected nothing else from a consultant – he knows who butters his bread. He has a vested interest so his opinion is not objective. 

I have no vested interest. My only interest is the smart operation of this community. I am sure Bill Cavanagh (who wrote a letter to the editor in the May 18 newspaper) is a nice person doing his best to make a living for his family but – and there is a but – property taxes and utilities will have increased an average of 17 per cent for a single-family home during this council’s tenure. This I do understand.

I have a problem in understanding why this is seen as acceptable. Most wages have not increased by that much and so many individuals struggle to keep up. 

This shows no signs of being a temporary phenomena and can’t go on. Something has to change. 

Bill’s letter said quite frankly we could not afford to hire a specialist for these projects. He is right. And we cannot afford to pay for these projects. Our mayor wants to put her stamp on the community, a stamp it is.

There is always a trade-off and, as long as we pay for it, there is no trade-off and so the 17 per cent increase.

David Colledge
Brackendale