Vacations are a chance to see things from afar and as such it is easier to see how our little sphere of concerns can often take on a magnitude of importance beyond the paradise we know and love.
If it were not for the Islands Trust running roughshod over our lives, constantly provoking us to check to see if we are being abused, losing our property rights or being asked to love the Trust or leave our homes, we would all co-exist rather nicely I suspect.
The Salt Spring Community is a vital wellspring of intelligence and opinion on all matters of local and worldly affairs and although we feel polarized, it is that contrast that brings clarity to so many issues.
Unfortunately we do not have an adaquate democratic representation to coelesce around and move forward with any kind of unity expected in a community of this size.
We remain powerless to control the endless squandering of our tax dollars on completely defragmented groups of special interests from our water systems, to our recreation facilities to our notions of a bigger library (post Google and eBook revolution) and all the socio-economic needs so fundamental to our best interests.
True the Islands Trust Act needs reviewing and many are optimistic that such a review will improve it, however, you have to remember that no other Candians are asked to live under such an extra level of governance which presumes we are guilty of environmental crimes before we are proven innocent!
Despite our unincorporated status and our lack of foresight in voting down incorporation in 2005, the Municipal model still has inherent advantages and fundamental democratic prinicples that encourage a council to govern with a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers or be voted out.
We have no such freedom under an unincorporated structure of the Islands Trust Act, those tax dollars are in no way controllable or spent with any sense of a fiduciary responsibility to voters, rather they are squandered meaninglessly on delusions of ideological political correctness.
But there is an awakening in our sphere as we touch on the matters that matter and I for one am optimistic that if we all continue to voice our concerns, our concerns will be heard and if change is possible we will see it in this next election cycle.
If we are not yet of one mind, then let us at least act as a unity of minds towards a greater and greater clarity.
Cheers
Keeping an eye on politics as usual.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A Trust is a Trust, Trustees need to forego their delusions of Grandeur
A compelling question to ask is how a 'Trust' imagines it is a government in an unincorporated district? Unincorporated districts are by definition without local government because the only legally defined form of governance in BC starts with the formation of a Municipality. Despite former Bowen Island mayor Lisa Barret's councilling to Salt Springers during our Incoproration Study; that we might come up with something more imaginative, there is in fact no alternative to the Municipal model if we choose to incorporate.
So just because Trustees imagine they fit the definition of a government certainly does not make it so, any more than School Trustees can claim to be a government. A Trust is a Trust.
Regardless of the facade created by being publically selected, confusingly during Municipal Election time, Trustees are still confined to belonging to the narrow mandate of a specific Trust and its policies, end of story. This is further illustrated and verified by the fact that when pressed, Trustees will admit that they are NOT elected to represent the interests of the taxpayer like a Municpal Council is required, rather they are elected to ultimately represent their land planning mandate the Trust Act and policies of the Trust itself. A Trust is simply a Trust.
Consequently a Trust in no way defines a democratic governing body and visa versa. The Islands Trust is simply an abberated form of taxation without actual representation and therein lies the central legal challenge for islanders. It is a question of constitutionality and tax equity in that the rest of our fellow Canadians only have the burden of Municipal, Provincial and Federal taxation. So why do Islanders have to endure and support an entirely extra and I dare say redundant level of taxation? It is not fair at all! Are we less "green" or particularly anti-environment? Why are we so suspect and treated like potential eco-offenders?
I would wager that a Provincial review would reveal and refresh a lot of memories that the Islands Trust was never legislated as an official branch of governance per se. Rather they were created to encourage and enable the formation of environmentally aware Municipal councils, should any islands choose to incorporate as Bowen Island did years ago. "Governance" as a concept is certainly not part of the wording in either the "Object of the Trust" or the original "Island Trust Act". Even Trust council is careful not to use the term lightly in reference to itself. See Bylaw 42.
This is the strongest challenge islanders can make and in the interim, we should continually remind Trustees that they are taxing us to exercise a land-planning function and fulfill mandated duties. Duties such as proper and required Raparian land and waterway studies we've provided funds through taxation to have done! The Trust is inappropriately trying to offload their responsibities for these studies onto property owners somehow forgetting that they have a record number of highly paid land planners with a close to $7,000,000 budget! (See my Islands Trust Budget Clock, upper right column to see what is already spent since March 11th 2011)
The Island Trust does not fit the definition of a democratic institution any more than any Trust does. Repeated proclaimations to being our 'local governance' may sound nice, but they are really just more Delusions of Grandeur by a tired and outdated organization with less credibility and support every day.
So just because Trustees imagine they fit the definition of a government certainly does not make it so, any more than School Trustees can claim to be a government. A Trust is a Trust.
Regardless of the facade created by being publically selected, confusingly during Municipal Election time, Trustees are still confined to belonging to the narrow mandate of a specific Trust and its policies, end of story. This is further illustrated and verified by the fact that when pressed, Trustees will admit that they are NOT elected to represent the interests of the taxpayer like a Municpal Council is required, rather they are elected to ultimately represent their land planning mandate the Trust Act and policies of the Trust itself. A Trust is simply a Trust.
Consequently a Trust in no way defines a democratic governing body and visa versa. The Islands Trust is simply an abberated form of taxation without actual representation and therein lies the central legal challenge for islanders. It is a question of constitutionality and tax equity in that the rest of our fellow Canadians only have the burden of Municipal, Provincial and Federal taxation. So why do Islanders have to endure and support an entirely extra and I dare say redundant level of taxation? It is not fair at all! Are we less "green" or particularly anti-environment? Why are we so suspect and treated like potential eco-offenders?
I would wager that a Provincial review would reveal and refresh a lot of memories that the Islands Trust was never legislated as an official branch of governance per se. Rather they were created to encourage and enable the formation of environmentally aware Municipal councils, should any islands choose to incorporate as Bowen Island did years ago. "Governance" as a concept is certainly not part of the wording in either the "Object of the Trust" or the original "Island Trust Act". Even Trust council is careful not to use the term lightly in reference to itself. See Bylaw 42.
This is the strongest challenge islanders can make and in the interim, we should continually remind Trustees that they are taxing us to exercise a land-planning function and fulfill mandated duties. Duties such as proper and required Raparian land and waterway studies we've provided funds through taxation to have done! The Trust is inappropriately trying to offload their responsibities for these studies onto property owners somehow forgetting that they have a record number of highly paid land planners with a close to $7,000,000 budget! (See my Islands Trust Budget Clock, upper right column to see what is already spent since March 11th 2011)
The Island Trust does not fit the definition of a democratic institution any more than any Trust does. Repeated proclaimations to being our 'local governance' may sound nice, but they are really just more Delusions of Grandeur by a tired and outdated organization with less credibility and support every day.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Are We Green Enough Yet?
Under a fair and normal governance structure islanders might safely consider a Green candidate like Elizabeth May, a seemingly reasonable choice to be our federal representative. However, I suspect if we make the mistake of empowering the Islands Trust with such a federal advocate in Ottawa that we might be responsible for spreading this Trust ideological nightmare throughout all Canada... and our fellow Canadians would never forgive us!!!
Also, given what happened in the last Federal election, I think a Green vote would virtually ensure a Conservative Majority with yet another throw-away-vote on a Party that is splitting the opposition with the Liberals and NDP three ways now. The Left never learns the wisdom of unity. Gary Lunn must be in 7th heaven. Remember last time, much loved 'Green turncoat Liberal' Briony Penn, even without the vote-splitting NDP could not over power Gary Lunn - close but no cigar, some NDPers still voted for a non-existent candidate!!! :-| - much like the Trust party faithful, the NDP can be a maniacal bunch too. THE NDP AND GREENS SHOULD MERGE!, they are not that different.
Furthermore, does anybody think we need any more Green, armchair environmentalism around here? We are already showing signs of starting to get too green around the gills now that The Islands Trust has more than effectively destroyed local island economies here in the Gulf Islands. With the Trust recently voting themselves a juggernaut budget of almost $7 million, every 365 days, should we really be risking empowering them any further with an advocate in Ottawa?
Just saying, THINK. Even stoners should reconsider despite Ms. May's claims to support Marijuana legalization. Like the NDP's Jack Layton's similar promise when he needed the 'socialist green' vote, check the current official drug policies of the NDP on that one. (See Jack Layton on POT TV here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5-x6NVYBYM . One Green is not going to change the law on that one.
Sadly a good possible candidate like Ms. May is just going to further split the centrists and left and if that doesn't ensure a Conservative Majority then it will almost certainly assure Gary Lunn is with us for a long time. That may not be a bad thing while we wait for the opposition to realise how futile disunity is. Vote with your mind not wishful thinking, governance is not a game for emotional fuzziness.
Also, given what happened in the last Federal election, I think a Green vote would virtually ensure a Conservative Majority with yet another throw-away-vote on a Party that is splitting the opposition with the Liberals and NDP three ways now. The Left never learns the wisdom of unity. Gary Lunn must be in 7th heaven. Remember last time, much loved 'Green turncoat Liberal' Briony Penn, even without the vote-splitting NDP could not over power Gary Lunn - close but no cigar, some NDPers still voted for a non-existent candidate!!! :-| - much like the Trust party faithful, the NDP can be a maniacal bunch too. THE NDP AND GREENS SHOULD MERGE!, they are not that different.
Furthermore, does anybody think we need any more Green, armchair environmentalism around here? We are already showing signs of starting to get too green around the gills now that The Islands Trust has more than effectively destroyed local island economies here in the Gulf Islands. With the Trust recently voting themselves a juggernaut budget of almost $7 million, every 365 days, should we really be risking empowering them any further with an advocate in Ottawa?
Just saying, THINK. Even stoners should reconsider despite Ms. May's claims to support Marijuana legalization. Like the NDP's Jack Layton's similar promise when he needed the 'socialist green' vote, check the current official drug policies of the NDP on that one. (See Jack Layton on POT TV here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5-x6NVYBYM . One Green is not going to change the law on that one.
Sadly a good possible candidate like Ms. May is just going to further split the centrists and left and if that doesn't ensure a Conservative Majority then it will almost certainly assure Gary Lunn is with us for a long time. That may not be a bad thing while we wait for the opposition to realise how futile disunity is. Vote with your mind not wishful thinking, governance is not a game for emotional fuzziness.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Taxation that only Represents Trust policies not the taxpayer and voter.
We watch helplessly as even long time residents like John Quesnel are "ingraciously" expected to move off-island to make room for the Island Trust's ideological notions of an environmentally correct society.
Islanders are beginning to suspect too that the Islands Trust have simply become an armature of the NDP and environmentalists. We as taxpayers simply have no control over how they choose to direct our tax dollars. We have no town council of representatives. There is no mandated way to seriously influence their spending decisions (witness recent 120% pay raise for Salt Spring Trustees). We can speak but they are only required to listen. Their mandate is solely to act in the interests of Trust policies not the taxpayer or voter.
As a homeowner, I am appalled that the Islands Trust seems particularly intend on singling out local businesses as something to be erradicated from the islands.
They are destabilizing Salt Spring and other Island economies and we are at their mercy. We need to insist that the Province re-open our case for Incorporation and help us move towards the Municipal option and broader representation of the voting public. We need a legislative review of governance in the islands and how best to spend our tax dollars on necessary services, for safety and fiscal efficiency. This current 6.85 million dollar Trust Budget is being outrageously squandered on expanding their empire and power base, putting a stranglehold on the entire Trust area!
Islanders are beginning to suspect too that the Islands Trust have simply become an armature of the NDP and environmentalists. We as taxpayers simply have no control over how they choose to direct our tax dollars. We have no town council of representatives. There is no mandated way to seriously influence their spending decisions (witness recent 120% pay raise for Salt Spring Trustees). We can speak but they are only required to listen. Their mandate is solely to act in the interests of Trust policies not the taxpayer or voter.
As a homeowner, I am appalled that the Islands Trust seems particularly intend on singling out local businesses as something to be erradicated from the islands.
They are destabilizing Salt Spring and other Island economies and we are at their mercy. We need to insist that the Province re-open our case for Incorporation and help us move towards the Municipal option and broader representation of the voting public. We need a legislative review of governance in the islands and how best to spend our tax dollars on necessary services, for safety and fiscal efficiency. This current 6.85 million dollar Trust Budget is being outrageously squandered on expanding their empire and power base, putting a stranglehold on the entire Trust area!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Effectively Saving Green Space?
So the question arises as to whether or not Canada or the United States should be attacking Libya?. And it occurs to me that Obama has always wanted to get out of Afghanistan, get out of Iraq and focus on job creation at home. Still waiting for that great infrastructure rebuild of America. Harper may have bet on the wrong strategy to gain a Majority government 'worthy of his name' ;-|
Meanwhile, here on Salt Spring Island we have an Islands Trust that is running an autocratic self-proclaimed local governance with no officially sanctioned democratic opposition and no recourse to appeal their decisions. Sound like the structure of most middle east Arab countries? Talk amongst yourselves.
So is it just a coincidence that on March 11, 2011 an earthquake and tsunami hits Japan on the same day the Island's Trust votes our Salt Spring Trustees a 120% pay raise? No, just classic observable syncronicity. In my opinion Trust decisions have created their own tsunami of public resentment and a corresponding community climate change we have not seen since the 60's.
They are an outdated remnant of 1970s thinking, born out of a shrill NDP socialism and misguided paranoia of how progress might change the Gulf Islands. And as long as Trust followers continue to demonize people for simply voicing fundamental opinions about this facade of governance, they will be responsible for the divided community dialogue.
Most Salt Springers know the reality and that is that non-profit organizations like the Salt Spring Island Conservancy have long been far more effective in preserving and protecting more acres of green space than the Islands Trust has ever done. That will hardly change, even with the Trust's new 2011 budget of over $6.85 million.
The Conservancy is by and large more effecient with dollars, supported by public funds and donations, they continue to be the prime force behind our growing Parks system. They have a believable "preserve and protect" strategy, something The Islands Trust does not. For all the millions of tax dollars spent on their bureaucracy they've barely managed to buy or save a single acre of land or protected anything of any significance.
Unless of course, its their own existence, but then who couldn't with that kind annual budget? They really appear to use our tax dollars against us and if we dare challenge them, they hand out extra $15,000 bonuses to beef up their propaganda machine. This is the kind of extremism we need to expose and challenge regularly, we have a right, as Canadians to speak out when we see such waste and unfairness even at the local level.
Meanwhile, here on Salt Spring Island we have an Islands Trust that is running an autocratic self-proclaimed local governance with no officially sanctioned democratic opposition and no recourse to appeal their decisions. Sound like the structure of most middle east Arab countries? Talk amongst yourselves.
So is it just a coincidence that on March 11, 2011 an earthquake and tsunami hits Japan on the same day the Island's Trust votes our Salt Spring Trustees a 120% pay raise? No, just classic observable syncronicity. In my opinion Trust decisions have created their own tsunami of public resentment and a corresponding community climate change we have not seen since the 60's.
They are an outdated remnant of 1970s thinking, born out of a shrill NDP socialism and misguided paranoia of how progress might change the Gulf Islands. And as long as Trust followers continue to demonize people for simply voicing fundamental opinions about this facade of governance, they will be responsible for the divided community dialogue.
Most Salt Springers know the reality and that is that non-profit organizations like the Salt Spring Island Conservancy have long been far more effective in preserving and protecting more acres of green space than the Islands Trust has ever done. That will hardly change, even with the Trust's new 2011 budget of over $6.85 million.
The Conservancy is by and large more effecient with dollars, supported by public funds and donations, they continue to be the prime force behind our growing Parks system. They have a believable "preserve and protect" strategy, something The Islands Trust does not. For all the millions of tax dollars spent on their bureaucracy they've barely managed to buy or save a single acre of land or protected anything of any significance.
Unless of course, its their own existence, but then who couldn't with that kind annual budget? They really appear to use our tax dollars against us and if we dare challenge them, they hand out extra $15,000 bonuses to beef up their propaganda machine. This is the kind of extremism we need to expose and challenge regularly, we have a right, as Canadians to speak out when we see such waste and unfairness even at the local level.
Friday, March 18, 2011
WORD CLOUDS: So What is it we are trying to say?
Anyone who writes knows the importance of staying on point unless of course it is merely a creative exercise in word association as an artform. I found this website that creates Word Clouds from your written material and I think a lot of people would be surprised to see the key word content of much of what they write in blogs and to letters to the editor etc.
If you go here http://www.wordle.net/ you will find a nifty place to insert your writings and configure as many words to analyse as you wish. The default is 150 words randomly displayed however I usually set the maximum to 50 words or less, formatted half vertical and horizontal to more easily identify what I am trying to get across in various documents I am wordsmithing. Try it, you will enjoy copying and pasting just about anything into it so you can see what is really being said when you look at the word content priority of written material, speeches by politicians or whatever.
Here for example is a word cloud of my recent Submission to Trust Council.
You can see that obviously the Trust was a huge aspect of what I was addressing and as the words reduce in size you can see the priority of my concerns about issues of Land Planning, Governance and taxes. The Word Cloud was another way to confirm that what I was submitting contained the proper proportion of keywords relating to the thrust of my presentation.
Anyway, I thought others might appreciate the tool (link above) as a way of refining their writings. I've posted a few more at http://www.trustchange.com/wordclouds based on a number of articles and letters I have analysed from people who have submitted their material online or in emails to me.
Cheers
If you go here http://www.wordle.net/ you will find a nifty place to insert your writings and configure as many words to analyse as you wish. The default is 150 words randomly displayed however I usually set the maximum to 50 words or less, formatted half vertical and horizontal to more easily identify what I am trying to get across in various documents I am wordsmithing. Try it, you will enjoy copying and pasting just about anything into it so you can see what is really being said when you look at the word content priority of written material, speeches by politicians or whatever.
Here for example is a word cloud of my recent Submission to Trust Council.
You can see that obviously the Trust was a huge aspect of what I was addressing and as the words reduce in size you can see the priority of my concerns about issues of Land Planning, Governance and taxes. The Word Cloud was another way to confirm that what I was submitting contained the proper proportion of keywords relating to the thrust of my presentation.
Anyway, I thought others might appreciate the tool (link above) as a way of refining their writings. I've posted a few more at http://www.trustchange.com/wordclouds based on a number of articles and letters I have analysed from people who have submitted their material online or in emails to me.
Cheers
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
ISLANDS TRUST 2011 Budget Clock
Back by popular demand!
Many years ago (1996) I created the first Islands Trust Budget Clock approximately illustrating the real-time draining of our tax dollars being spent to support the annual Trust Budget. Mathematically, if you simply calculate 8 hrs. X 5 day work weeks X 52 weeks in a year, you get about 260, 8 hour days for a total of 2080 hours of operation for this organization.
The current cost for this preserve and protect insurance policy is roughly $3293.00 an hour when you divide 2080 hours into their new annual budget of $6,850,000 or if you like, about $54.88 a minute!
Anyway, I managed to hack a javascript to recreate a reasonable facimile of this old standby for those who like to watch tax money evaporate or, at least be aware of how much is involved. Sure, it is kind of approximate but hey, visualization is the first step to fighting the source of dis-ease in our community.
Dream a new Tomorrow today! http://www.trustchange.com/TrustClock/Budget.html
Many years ago (1996) I created the first Islands Trust Budget Clock approximately illustrating the real-time draining of our tax dollars being spent to support the annual Trust Budget. Mathematically, if you simply calculate 8 hrs. X 5 day work weeks X 52 weeks in a year, you get about 260, 8 hour days for a total of 2080 hours of operation for this organization.
The current cost for this preserve and protect insurance policy is roughly $3293.00 an hour when you divide 2080 hours into their new annual budget of $6,850,000 or if you like, about $54.88 a minute!
Anyway, I managed to hack a javascript to recreate a reasonable facimile of this old standby for those who like to watch tax money evaporate or, at least be aware of how much is involved. Sure, it is kind of approximate but hey, visualization is the first step to fighting the source of dis-ease in our community.
Dream a new Tomorrow today! http://www.trustchange.com/TrustClock/Budget.html
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Local Trustees get double salary hike!
As expected it was not really about a budget increase, it was all about a bait and switch up of their salaries. We thank the Salt Spring delegation for their efforts, especially Ms. Lucich's finely worded critique and that very detailed revelation by our Chamber of Commerce.
As the Trust budget now moves towards that magic 7 million dollars a year budget, surely we are seeing that we could do a better job budgeting as our own Municipality.
Btw, with the online Driftwood now deleting entire comment response forums re: those 114 lil' bylaws, I feel a need to duplicate some here, this one re: the Chamber's excellent presention to Trust Council.
"An excellent presentation, thank you for the updated data regarding Salt Spring's business climate change. Alas all this budget increase redirect merely allowed for a better headline while they slipped in a record salary hike for themselves! Are Salt Springers really not ready to incorporate now? With the Trust's 42% budget increase since the referendum we surely would have budgeted better on our own! Is there any doubt whatsoever about that? I rather doubt we would be missing all these fundamentally original to Salt Spring businesses either. Time to change our priorities folks!"
As the Trust budget now moves towards that magic 7 million dollars a year budget, surely we are seeing that we could do a better job budgeting as our own Municipality.
Btw, with the online Driftwood now deleting entire comment response forums re: those 114 lil' bylaws, I feel a need to duplicate some here, this one re: the Chamber's excellent presention to Trust Council.
"An excellent presentation, thank you for the updated data regarding Salt Spring's business climate change. Alas all this budget increase redirect merely allowed for a better headline while they slipped in a record salary hike for themselves! Are Salt Springers really not ready to incorporate now? With the Trust's 42% budget increase since the referendum we surely would have budgeted better on our own! Is there any doubt whatsoever about that? I rather doubt we would be missing all these fundamentally original to Salt Spring businesses either. Time to change our priorities folks!"
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Consulting the Ancients
Long ago I wrote a little program for consulting the Ancients, no it is not some weird mystical fantasy, it is based on the logic that meaning, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In an extreme sense one might just as well consult Mad Magazine, however this program consults the Ancients who simply studied human nature and nature herself for wisdom and they wrote their insights down.
Anyway this morning's query was on how to best approach Trust Council and I thought perhaps our Salt Spring Deligation might appreciate the extra coaching from 1000's of years ago.
It read like this:
When revealing inner truth, sensitivity
succeeds when dealing with those who would
otherwise resist it. Openness, ensures
the initial contact necessary before one
can have an influence. Transient, common
interests are not enough to maintain unity.
Because meaning is in the I of the beholder each of us will read their own meaning into the above, it is pretty straight forward but it is the last sentence that held a special focus for me because I know it so well. So many unified efforts from marriages to corporations and business partnerships, if based on transient common interests may not have the flexibility to succeed or overcome differences of opinion and personal changes in individual growth and experience.
The Ancients go on to clarify that:
When discerning the truth in a situation
one must weigh the particular circumstances
as well. This sympathetic understanding
has a far reaching and deeper influence.
I have always seen context as far more important to understanding what momentarily is happening and so I hope the Salt Spring deligation is prepared to adapt to the circumstances and look the tiger in the eye of nowness and immediacy.
Furthermore:
Those who follow and speak inner truth
have a subtle influence far beyond their
immediate circumstances. As a result there
is also a need for great caution.
This implies the serious conundrum of decisions that influence the space time continuum almost forever and why one can regret such decisions as I have, in working so hard to vote down the Salt Spring Island referendum on incorporation. It is next to impossible to claw back such actions even if at the time one feels they are making the best decision possible. Like droplets in a pond the rings radiate out proportionate to the intensity of the splash and that referendum was a pretty big splash decision. Many of those 70% of islanders now regret not having taken a more positive spin on the concept of a Municipality. Trusting in the Trust to contain their costs was a huge error in judgement as we have seen an almost 300% jump in their appetite for tax dollars. It is easier to say we won't be fooled again, but as the songs says perhaps we would only now be saying "Meet the new boss Same as the old boss" Hard to say.
Finally the Ancients are almost cold hearted in their insights:
Words without action even if based on
inner truth have little effect.
How could they have known the vast reach we would all have through the Internet to dialogue and share our words? And also know how vacuous words are if not accompanied by action! Perhaps our in-your-face deligation will have more effect on Trust Council that the barrage of words we have sent them and to that end I wish the deligation from Salt Spring profound success.
End of program, End of Line.
Anyway this morning's query was on how to best approach Trust Council and I thought perhaps our Salt Spring Deligation might appreciate the extra coaching from 1000's of years ago.
It read like this:
When revealing inner truth, sensitivity
succeeds when dealing with those who would
otherwise resist it. Openness, ensures
the initial contact necessary before one
can have an influence. Transient, common
interests are not enough to maintain unity.
Because meaning is in the I of the beholder each of us will read their own meaning into the above, it is pretty straight forward but it is the last sentence that held a special focus for me because I know it so well. So many unified efforts from marriages to corporations and business partnerships, if based on transient common interests may not have the flexibility to succeed or overcome differences of opinion and personal changes in individual growth and experience.
The Ancients go on to clarify that:
When discerning the truth in a situation
one must weigh the particular circumstances
as well. This sympathetic understanding
has a far reaching and deeper influence.
I have always seen context as far more important to understanding what momentarily is happening and so I hope the Salt Spring deligation is prepared to adapt to the circumstances and look the tiger in the eye of nowness and immediacy.
Furthermore:
Those who follow and speak inner truth
have a subtle influence far beyond their
immediate circumstances. As a result there
is also a need for great caution.
This implies the serious conundrum of decisions that influence the space time continuum almost forever and why one can regret such decisions as I have, in working so hard to vote down the Salt Spring Island referendum on incorporation. It is next to impossible to claw back such actions even if at the time one feels they are making the best decision possible. Like droplets in a pond the rings radiate out proportionate to the intensity of the splash and that referendum was a pretty big splash decision. Many of those 70% of islanders now regret not having taken a more positive spin on the concept of a Municipality. Trusting in the Trust to contain their costs was a huge error in judgement as we have seen an almost 300% jump in their appetite for tax dollars. It is easier to say we won't be fooled again, but as the songs says perhaps we would only now be saying "Meet the new boss Same as the old boss" Hard to say.
Finally the Ancients are almost cold hearted in their insights:
Words without action even if based on
inner truth have little effect.
How could they have known the vast reach we would all have through the Internet to dialogue and share our words? And also know how vacuous words are if not accompanied by action! Perhaps our in-your-face deligation will have more effect on Trust Council that the barrage of words we have sent them and to that end I wish the deligation from Salt Spring profound success.
End of program, End of Line.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Wednesday is Budget Decision Day For the Islands Trust.
I think we all know that it is a rather Extreme fait de compli that the Islands Trust will increase its budget for 2011 on Wednesday, yes, legally they are required to field opinions from the public and I applaud the Salt Spring Island Deligation for making the inconvenient trek to Galiano to speak on taxpayer behalf. I sent a detailed written submission earlier to meet the deadline and have consolidated a few more thoughts below.
Of course the EXTREMISM here is the crazy wordsmithing the Islands Trust is doing this time around in calling it a "Reduction in Budget Increase". Hehe, a truly remarkable piece of double-speak that can only massage the least media savy minds in the community I am sure. Fact is, hidden and probably within a single overall vote is whether to give most Trustees a modest increase on the smaller islands (which I could go along with I suppose) yet we find a disturbing proposed 120% increase in salaries for our local Salt Spring Trustees from approx. $12,000 to $28,000. Nice huh? Who would not work for an employer with those kinds of lottery winning pay raises in the wings? Well the silver lining here may be to bring every unemployed applicant near and far to run for the Trustee position in November! I say great, the more the merrier, maybe it will increase our odds that we get an actual democratically minded candidate to run and dissolve this ridiculous presumption of so-called 'local governance'! Yea right, I guess if you keep saying it, somehow a Trust becomes a government? Hardly!
Anyway, I wanted to share a consolidated viewpoint on this budget increase if only to put it into an alternate context to the double-speak we hear from the organization itself, and I certainly extend to all those going to Galiano Wednesday Mar. 11 my best wishes for a successful impact on the proceedings. Trust Council is a tad more attentive and responsive than our local Trust Commitee and there is always the CHANCE that the odd comment will trim a few cents off the general increase, afterall, the Trust just needs a headline like "Trusted Reduces Expected Tax Increase" for us all to remain cozy and happy paying yet another 6.4 million dollars for year 2011.. what is that? over $3000.00/hr. protectionist money from imaginary clear cutting homeowners currently raping our island? hmmm will have to consider that, I am sure it will increase my property's value! Geesh. Anyway I digress...
TO TRUST COUNCIL: YOUR BUDGET 2011
In my opinion your budget and salaries should not be increased at this time and another policy statement should probably be added to your ‘code of conduct’ book. Something to the effect that; Trustees should continually be mindful that taxes are collected to be spent specifically on community land planning issues and that it is a Trustees fiduciary responsibly to ensure this on behalf of taxpayers who fund and place their trust in this Trust.
To all Trustees I simply say this: review the Islands Trust Act, look at the parameters of your land planning function with a critical eye and then look at all the extracurricular activities and personal interests that so many of you presume to squander our taxes on. Know that your budget requirements have far outstripped any danger of development among these fair islands, especially in this economy. That your land planners are actually planning how not to use the land and that the peoples’ Trust has become increasingly anti-Trust.
I propose that if you work within your actual mandate, you will see that the workload and costs are not nearly as grandioise as you claim.
Our Island Driftwood honed in on a key point... "The Trust has not worked for the betterment of our island communities but rather as a scared symbol of humankind's battle to save the planet"
As a tax payer it is also my hope that you will reject the notion that our Salt Spring Island Trustees need an over 100% increase in salary, especially for any kind of chosen personal adventurism into areas outside their land planning committee duties. I am advised that there were only a small handfull of development permits entertained last year.
ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE:
On another issue…We have recently been hearing this often parroted notion that the Islands Trust has somehow made the intellectual leap from being a land planning trust to being some kind of broader island governance. I think you will agree that a Trust is not a government and visa versa, even in an unincorporated district. Trust Council in their own bylaw 42 specifically acknowledge that they are not a form of governance but rather that they have been legislated within Trust Act to work with governing bodies, communities and Municipalies. That is the only Trust we can Trust. So what’s changed?
Even when citizens give you feedback as they will on Wednesday, it seems more of a polite formality, one you are simply legally required to extend. In the end however, your members have to vote in the interests of the Trust itself, its policies and the Trust Act. Anything we say at variance with that will tend to be discounted. So where are our real options for change? There appear few, because in the end, The Islands Trust, while paradoxically made up of democratically elected Trustees is not beholden to the electorate who votes for it but rather its ideological principles. This is a huge problem when you attempt to put forth the notion that you are a local governance representing the people.
No matter how far and wide local Trust Commitees attempt to extend their reach into the wide swath of services required by a community, I suspect that only a bonified Municipality is duly authorized, under our current Provincial legislation, to collect and spend our taxes on such ‘other’ services. Trust Council should explore any tax dollar savings to be had by staying on point and on mandate.
Thank you.
Artist3d
Salt Spring Island
Of course the EXTREMISM here is the crazy wordsmithing the Islands Trust is doing this time around in calling it a "Reduction in Budget Increase". Hehe, a truly remarkable piece of double-speak that can only massage the least media savy minds in the community I am sure. Fact is, hidden and probably within a single overall vote is whether to give most Trustees a modest increase on the smaller islands (which I could go along with I suppose) yet we find a disturbing proposed 120% increase in salaries for our local Salt Spring Trustees from approx. $12,000 to $28,000. Nice huh? Who would not work for an employer with those kinds of lottery winning pay raises in the wings? Well the silver lining here may be to bring every unemployed applicant near and far to run for the Trustee position in November! I say great, the more the merrier, maybe it will increase our odds that we get an actual democratically minded candidate to run and dissolve this ridiculous presumption of so-called 'local governance'! Yea right, I guess if you keep saying it, somehow a Trust becomes a government? Hardly!
Anyway, I wanted to share a consolidated viewpoint on this budget increase if only to put it into an alternate context to the double-speak we hear from the organization itself, and I certainly extend to all those going to Galiano Wednesday Mar. 11 my best wishes for a successful impact on the proceedings. Trust Council is a tad more attentive and responsive than our local Trust Commitee and there is always the CHANCE that the odd comment will trim a few cents off the general increase, afterall, the Trust just needs a headline like "Trusted Reduces Expected Tax Increase" for us all to remain cozy and happy paying yet another 6.4 million dollars for year 2011.. what is that? over $3000.00/hr. protectionist money from imaginary clear cutting homeowners currently raping our island? hmmm will have to consider that, I am sure it will increase my property's value! Geesh. Anyway I digress...
TO TRUST COUNCIL: YOUR BUDGET 2011
In my opinion your budget and salaries should not be increased at this time and another policy statement should probably be added to your ‘code of conduct’ book. Something to the effect that; Trustees should continually be mindful that taxes are collected to be spent specifically on community land planning issues and that it is a Trustees fiduciary responsibly to ensure this on behalf of taxpayers who fund and place their trust in this Trust.
To all Trustees I simply say this: review the Islands Trust Act, look at the parameters of your land planning function with a critical eye and then look at all the extracurricular activities and personal interests that so many of you presume to squander our taxes on. Know that your budget requirements have far outstripped any danger of development among these fair islands, especially in this economy. That your land planners are actually planning how not to use the land and that the peoples’ Trust has become increasingly anti-Trust.
I propose that if you work within your actual mandate, you will see that the workload and costs are not nearly as grandioise as you claim.
Our Island Driftwood honed in on a key point... "The Trust has not worked for the betterment of our island communities but rather as a scared symbol of humankind's battle to save the planet"
Although that was printed in the Driftwood 15 years ago it was as true in 1996 as it is today, with one caveat, your budget has grown 300% since then and that is not your tax payer supported mandate!
As a tax payer it is also my hope that you will reject the notion that our Salt Spring Island Trustees need an over 100% increase in salary, especially for any kind of chosen personal adventurism into areas outside their land planning committee duties. I am advised that there were only a small handfull of development permits entertained last year.
ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE:
On another issue…We have recently been hearing this often parroted notion that the Islands Trust has somehow made the intellectual leap from being a land planning trust to being some kind of broader island governance. I think you will agree that a Trust is not a government and visa versa, even in an unincorporated district. Trust Council in their own bylaw 42 specifically acknowledge that they are not a form of governance but rather that they have been legislated within Trust Act to work with governing bodies, communities and Municipalies. That is the only Trust we can Trust. So what’s changed?
Even when citizens give you feedback as they will on Wednesday, it seems more of a polite formality, one you are simply legally required to extend. In the end however, your members have to vote in the interests of the Trust itself, its policies and the Trust Act. Anything we say at variance with that will tend to be discounted. So where are our real options for change? There appear few, because in the end, The Islands Trust, while paradoxically made up of democratically elected Trustees is not beholden to the electorate who votes for it but rather its ideological principles. This is a huge problem when you attempt to put forth the notion that you are a local governance representing the people.
No matter how far and wide local Trust Commitees attempt to extend their reach into the wide swath of services required by a community, I suspect that only a bonified Municipality is duly authorized, under our current Provincial legislation, to collect and spend our taxes on such ‘other’ services. Trust Council should explore any tax dollar savings to be had by staying on point and on mandate.
Thank you.
Artist3d
Salt Spring Island
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