Everyone knows that 100 is the number of years in a century, the boiling temperature of water at sea level, the number of centimetres in a metre, the number of yards in a sprint track event, and of course, the age at which you become a centenarian.
Bet you didn’t know though, there are now 100 local politicians governing 425,000 residents on the south Island?
There was no cake, no bands, no fireworks, so the milestone went unnoticed and uncelebrated.
It became official last month when Salt Spring Islanders elected a local community commission, which saw four members take over some of the functions handled by the CRD. Last year, in a close and controversial decision, View Royal council voted to add two new councillors.
At about 4,000 residents per local leader, we must be better governed than anywhere else.
In the City of Toronto, there is one mayor and 25 councillors to govern 2.6 million residents. In the B.C. legislature, 87 politicians are enough to govern 5.4 million. In New York City, one mayor and 51 council members manage to administer nine million people. Then there’s China, the nearly 3,000-member National People’s Congress governs 1.4 billion citizens.
For the record, here’s the current official number of local politicians: Saanich (9), Victoria (9), Sidney (7), North Saanich (7), Central Saanich (7), Oak Bay (7), Esquimalt (7), View Royal (7), Colwood (7), Langford (7), Metchosin (5), Highlands (7), Sooke (7), CRD electoral directors (3), and Salt Spring commissioners (4).
We can’t forget the CRD is governed by a 24-member board of directors which is drawn from this list. It’s supported by more than 75 committees and commissions.
At this growth when the population surely reaches one million – and it surely will someday – the south Island will be governed by 250 local politicians. Why have enough local politicians, when you can have more than enough?
Stan Bartlett, vice-chair
Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria
