Editor, The News:
Re: More taxes, still more taxes (Letters, June 5).
Ian Strachan is right on the money, especially the amounts granted each year to the downtown Maple Ridge facade improvement program.
In concert with the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association, grants are given to private property and business owners to a maximum of $10,000, or $20,000 if a corner building.
Taxpayers are on the hook for 50 per cent of total cost.
For example, in 2011, Fuller Watson and Haney Place Mall were recipients. A total of $50,000 for them and various other businesses was approved for private enterprise.
Another $50,000 approved in 2012 went to the Lava Room restaurant and Smile Care Dentist Office, among others.
Maple Ridge taxpayers were unknowingly magnanimous in 2013 to the tune of $51,927, giving $10,000 to Mark’s Work Wearhouse and $10,000 to Capital West Insurance.
In 2014, two beneficiaries of taxpayers’ largesse were Fuller Watson, $8,000, and A&W, $15,000.
This is outrageous.
Landlords, private property and business owners are responsible for their own upkeep.
This year my taxes went up $300, and I’m retired.
People are getting incensed at the constant money being poured into a relatively small area of Maple Ridge.
As Mr. Strachan rightly pointed out, the majority of the population probably shop outside of Maple Ridge.
Stop this taxpayer-funded nonsense now.
Cherryl Katnich
Maple Ridge