Question 5 from David & Laura re: taxes, services and Lasqueti's unique character

Below is a response to one of 6 questions posed by David and Laura Slik on the email list on Oct 7, 2018.

Question 5. If elected, how will you approach the conflicting pressures to keep taxes low, provide additional services, and maintain Lasqueti’s unique character?

According to the Union of BC Municipalities Toolkit on Regional Districts, the role of regional districts is to establish and provide services in direct response to the expressed needs, desires and instructions of their member jurisdictions.

In the Province’s own words: “Regional districts … only provide the services that their members or their residents agree they should provide” and “they only do what … the public agree they should do.”

The balance between regional taxes and voluntary regional district services is up to Lasqueti. To ensure this balance requires active consultation with the public and opportunities for meaningful public input. In this way, the Lasqueti community can have a say over what changes occur here, so that, to the degree possible, appropriate and desired changes are supported, and unwanted and inappropriate changes are not imposed.