Letters

At one time municipal council was the most approachable and democratic of our levels of government. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case in Central Saanich.

Why is Sidney on the hook for a $1,300,000 fire truck if, according to CRD board chair Colin Plant, growth doesn’t mean significant change on the Saanich Peninsula?

What a timely editorial that ran in the Feb. 16 Saanich News, ‘Tory’s mixed messaging shows party in disarray.’ The British tradition of respect for rule of law found in Canada’s Tories seems to be increasingly replaced with the dominant U.S. Republican view that elected governments can be influenced by insurrection, bogus lists of electoral college votes, and intimidation of those moderate Republicans left in the party.

Imagine my shock when I opened the Feb. 17 issue to a full-page real estate ad showing multi-million-dollar houses opposite a page whose headline read “Hut showcases what temporary shelter could look like.”

With the significant jump in property assessments recently it’s no wonder many are wondering about how this could impact their annual property taxes. It’s a common misconception that if your BC Assessment notice states your home’s property assessment has gone up 20 per cent, your property taxes will go up 20 per cent. We hope the information below will help clarify this misconception and explain how property assessments and property tax rates are related.

Re: Prince’s visit to sawmill delights locals ( Sooke History , Feb. 24)

We recently received good news from the B.C. government and other provincial governments about a downward trend in COVID cases and the relaxing of some restrictions on activities. It appears that we are now over the worst of the pandemic which has so altered our lives over the past two years.

Now that the whole world knows what a pathetic, entitled schemer is Prince Andrew, I’d like to point out that the Gazette scooped it first.

I wanted to comment on the recent article by Jake Romphf regarding the desire of Victoria Council to regulate rent increases between tenancies.

Spring has sprung. Trees, hedges and shrubbery are protruding into the public walkways. In some places it is difficult for people using walkers or wheelchairs or pushing prams and strollers to pass by without either brushing up against the hedge or veering into the road.