North Saanich councillors Dunstan Browne and Craig Mearns, who were first elected in a by-election last fall, announced their bid for re-election. Joining them in announcing their candidacy for council are Conny McBride, an out-spoken critic of spending in the district, and Ted Izard, a long-time servant of the district as member and former chair of the advisory planning commission and a past board member of the North Saanich Residents Association.
“Although all four of us are running as independent candidates, we all have concerns about the steady increase in both taxes and regulations being foisted upon the citizens of North Saanich,” said Mearns. “We have agreed to endorse each others’ campaign and work together as a team so that residents have the opportunity to elect a working majority who will stop treating taxpayers’ pockets as an endless supply of new revenue.”
“In addition to living within the means of the taxpayer, we need to reintroduce some common sense into our municipal regulations,” said Izard. “North Saanich is over-regulated and we now have the highest permit fees on the Peninsula. It can take months to get a permit to perform even modest garden brush cleanup.”
McBride, who has a business background, has demanded a business plan to justify the expense of the proposed Sandown Park redevelopment. “North Saanich has the highest permit fees on the Peninsula, that needs to change,” she added.
The common thread binding the team is a concern for fiscal responsibility and accountability. “Taxes have been escalating rapidly in recent years to pay for never-ending consultant’s reports, lawsuits, and redundant reviews,” said Browne. “We need to stop increasing taxes and start sticking to a budget that respects the people who live here.”
Browne, Mearns, McBride, and Izard summarize their common platform as one of respect, efficiency, restraint and common sense. It includes respecting the rights of all residents, especially property owners; efficiency in ensuring value for taxes; restraint when it comes to new spending initiatives; and using common sense in directing initiatives where they will do the most good.
For more information visit www.northsaanichcouncil.ca or email northsaanichteam@shaw.ca or call Mearns at 250-216-3667, Brown at 250-271-8684, McBride at 250-655-3648, or Izard at 250-704-9235.