In its effort to push its sewage treatment plan, the Capital Regional District, with a few strokes of a pen, has removed recently another significant tax revenue-generating property out of Esquimalt (McLoughlin Point, and now Viewfield Road).
This loss of tax revenue for Esquimalt could have repercussions during municipal budget time when Victoria comes knocking, looking for its share of the Victoria-Esquimalt police budget. Four Victoria councillors sit as CRD directors, so their votes weigh heavily in the decision-making process. They all came out in favour of this $17-million land purchase on Viewfield Road.
When they change their hats back to being Victoria councillors, the same individuals will come to Esquimalt looking for money for the police budget. Does the CRD decision-making process make sense? A little bit of thought might have prevented those bad decisions.
Charles Lavoie
Esquimalt
