Concerns

Concerns

Email

• From:
• To: Budget2024
• Subject: Concerns
• Date: February 14, 2024 3:28:16 PM
• Importance: High

Hello

I am a Langford taxpayer and have lived in the Westshore for the last 53 years. I have concerns over this year’s budget.

The City of Langford should be aware that the world we live in is incredibly expensive: with high interest rates and cost of living. This puts pressure on so many Langford families where they are living pay cheque to pay cheque. Therefore, the City and Council should be working to ensure frivolous spending/funding is kept to a minimum while ensuring the needs of the residents of Langford are met. Needs, not wants. Wants are when we have an abundance of excess income, which this is not the case.

New budget items:

• Langford E-bike Rebate Program
  • The E-bike was a provincial program. While a 2024 program has not been confirmed yet, the risk of the public double dipping is high and therefore, does not appear to be a wise decision.
• Largest Little Free Library
  • There are two branches of the Greater Victoria Public Library (Goudy on Goldstream and Heritage in Westhills) where residents can take out books for free.
  • There are countless free little book stands that residents have set up themselves in their neighbourhoods. See https://victoriaplacemaking.ca/little-free-libraries/
  • The City does not need to spend $60K plus $25K the following years for this project. The need is already fulfilled.
• Pedestrian Plaza/Walkway Pilot Project, City Centre Crosswalk Project, Community Gardens, Home Composter Program
  • People cannot afford to live or feed their families. Please rethink the City’s priorities here.

Other concerns:

• RCMP and the 3 firehalls
  • These should be fully staffed. Keeping our City safe should be a priority especially with the increase in homelessness, theft and vandalism.
• Use of Amenity funds
  • Unless there is law or bylaw, why can this not be done? This should continue to help bring taxes down.
• Infrastructure not keeping up with the growing population
  • The population continue to grow and housing has greatly increased, but the roads have not and are not big enough for the population of the City.
• YMCA/PFC
  • Considerations need to be given to these amenities. The City needs to be making tax revenue off these. If the YMCA cannot afford to pay the taxes, then they should not continue to be supported.
  • Cost benefit analysis should be performed to ensure that extra seating is warranted for PFC.
  • The City should work with the other municipalities to have another recreation centre. Westshore Recreation is too small for the current population of Langford, Colwood and View Royal.
• 3680 TCH property
  • This was purchased by the City in 2019. Is this property creating revenue for the City?

Scott Costello
2958 Robalee Place
Langford BC