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Numbers in Sandown proposal will save taxpayers from any hit

North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall writes in response to Peninsula News Review editorial

Contrary to the statements in the PNR editorial of Jan. 13, “Let’s get farm’s cost recovery,” the Sandown proposal is already based on this concept of achieving cost recovery. Therefore, the suggestion that current taxpayers could “feel a hit” is wrong.

The proposal involves rezoning 12 acres of the Sandown lands for commercial development. From the outset, a key objective of the proposal is that all necessary land improvement costs will be financed from new tax revenue, generated from the 12-acre commercial component.

When fully developed, new commercial taxes from these lands will amount to approximately $350,000 per year for North Saanich, and will total $371,000 when added to present lease income. These revenues will be used to meet the estimated $695,000 municipal costs to improve the land. To be clear, this means that the new tax revenues from the Sandown commercial development will pay for these improvements. North Saanich can, as necessary, phase the improvement expenditures to coincide with the flow of new commercial tax revenues.

If the proposal proceeds, North Saanich taxpayers will get:

• a significant increase to our tax base into the future, from the new commercial property

• 83 acres of farmland as an asset for the benefit of present and future residents

• economic spin off and potential revenues from development of the lands

• additional local jobs from the commercial development

enhanced food security.

If the proposal is rejected the land will remain as eight agricultural lots and may be sold by the owner. Based on comparisons with similar agricultural land, total taxes received will be limited to approximately $18,000 per year. North Saanich will lose the new commercial taxes, the land and this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Alice Finall is the mayor of North Saanich.