I agree with the reservations concerning the Capital Regional District’s use of the alternative approval process (AAP) to borrow $85 million for housing. Further weakening the rationale not to use a referendum to gain taxpayer approval is the lack of electoral legitimacy of the CRD itself.
Absent region-wide elections, when exactly do voters in this region get to debate policy options and choose leaders whose views accord with their own? Never.
This would be an appropriate time and an appropriate issue to do so through the referendum process. The AAP process while it may be expedient is cloaked in none of the principles of democratic governance.
That may not be seen as a problem for CRD directors but it certainly is for taxpayers.
John Treleaven, chair
Grumpy Taxpayer$ of GreaterVictoria