Appendix: Community Flyer - INCREASE COUNCIL SIZE FROM 5 TO 7?

INCREASE COUNCIL SIZE FROM 5 TO 7?

THIS SHOULD BE A REFERENDUM QUESTION ON ELECTION BALLOT 2022!

Tell your Council that more time and information is needed to assess pros / cons. A 2 hour open house and public participation on Tuesday’s Council meeting is NOT enough public input! Why wasn’t an independent objective public survey done? Why weren’t notices delivered to your door?

EVERY resident should vote on this – not just a Council of 5 residents. Referendum: 2022 Election.

Diversity? No guarantees. 7 could still get us a majority of white males on Council. Just change the existing council composition and save money.
Representation? 7 gives a 1 politician per 1700 residents. That rationale equates to 264 politicians for the CRD (450,000)! Outrageous… way more than the 91 that exist today.
Population? If we need another 2, so does Langford, Colwood, Victoria, Saanich!
Overworked? Staff are more overworked than Council. What is the ratio of staff to residents?
Salary? $40k for 2 more councillors is JUST for 2022. Each year they get a Cost of Living Adjustment and get to vote themselves a raise. A mayor of 7 gets more money than a mayor of 5.
TAXES? Staff projected up to 8% tax increase for 2022. 2021 saw a 4.7% decrease in reserve contributions. Casino dependency is shifting to taxes. RCMP salaries are going up 50% and the inspector says the RCMP building is at capacity. We depend on grants to build our sidewalks. Inflation, pandemic, lack of doctors…all bad timing to spend on more politicians!
Unanswered costs? YES! More councillors, longer meetings and more staff time / costs. More staff are likely. Hiring staff is harder and much more costly than a politician. The 30 year old town hall is at capacity already. Any renovations would be far greater than the $50k estimate for Council chambers. Is it better to invest in staff rather than council?
NEED? How did this question come about anyway? Residents were not surveyed on the 2019 Citizen Satisfaction Survey where residents were happy with the status quo.

SAY “STOP”. GIVE EVERY RESIDENT A CHANCE TO VOTE. GET IT ON THE 2022 BALLOT!

PHONE IN! Public participation 7 pm November 16. Call 1-778-402-9227, Conference ID 688 709 721#

Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca now. MESSAGE LINE: “Make Council size a 2022 Referendum Question. Let us decide”.

Thank you for asking the tough questions and making yourself heard!