While the rest of BC residents live with reasonable percentage pay increases, we see our typically extravagant Island Trust Council now proposing to increase Salt Spring Island Trustees salaries from (120%?) $12,000 to $28,000! And they are using the audacious argument that somehow it will attract new people to run for the position.
I guess the question is: when have there NOT been plenty of people willing to run for the position on Salt Spring Island? We have in this unincorporated district any number of ideologically minded Trust followers who would even volunteeer for the position for no pay!
This is not a democratic institution if it ever was, it has become a cult with an elected rotation of trustees who are true believers! It's mandate for 'land planning' has transformed into an environmntalist's "plan to not use the land" and with that... more planners per resident than even a city might employ! The situation is out of control! Island property owners are being severely restricted so much so that their house insurance policies are becoming null and void!!! That is to say that many people could not rebuild their homes under the Trust's continuing application of new regulations, regulations that are so amateur as to designate runoff from a road into the ocean as a protected Estuary! ie: end of Churchill Rd.
This pay increase proposal is retro-fitted to claim support by yet another tax-payer funded consultant report the Trust itself initiated on their own accord;... or did our own Trustees propose this?
The premise is certainly familiar to the idea the Islands Trust floated in a recent referendum regarding increasing the number of Trustees on Salt Spring to create a so-called 'more democratic' representation. It is silly to imagine that this ideologically based organization can ever be a democratic institution no matter how much it tries to expand its base. It is common knowledge that all opposing views are so easily filtered out, no truly independent candidate has ever or ever will be expected to win in an election. Especially with the additional influence of the island NDP juggarnaut carefully financing their candidates and pushing their agenda. We need a strategic solution to this one issue alone!
It is time to challenge the entire premise of whether the Islands Trust is in fact even a democratic institution and qualified to continue to be funded by our tax dollars! It really is a form of taxation without representation. Even if they are qualified, I will say it again and again that; if the Object of the Trust truly is "for the benefit of all British Columbians" then why are islanders the only ones footing the bill? I repeat: if the Object of the Trust truly is "for the benefit of ALL British Columbians" then why are islanders the only ones footing the bill?
I believe there is a Tax Equity case to be made here, plain and simple.
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