Five questions each candidate should answer
Why are you running for Texada’s qRD Director?
My answer: To PROTECT our rural island way of life, to PREPARE for impacts from global events beyond our control and to IMPROVE local services without raising taxes.
Freedom from over-regulation was one of the reasons I moved here with my late wife, Linda, 26 years ago. We were also attracted by the human scale of this place, allowing us freedom to be creative in our lives while living close to nature and enjoying our island’s thriving social and cultural life. “Just another day in Paradise.”
I truly enjoy being of service to my community, as shown by my volunteer record in many Texada organizations.
I have grown deep roots here. I’m determined to serve and protect our island home — and yes, to improve community life and public services where appropriate. That’s leadership, which is what we need in our elected representative to the qRD. And I’ve had a LOT of experience dealing with qRD (see below).
As Texada’s qRD Director, how would you communicate with Texadans?
My answer: Daily, weekly, monthly and annually — in-person, in print and online*
DAILY: On the street, at community group meetings, at the Farmers Market (coffee or tea, anyone?); plus daily monitoring of Texada Message Board, and contact through my personal email, cell/text, and Facebook private messages — I’ll respond in 48 hours or less;
WEEKLY: I’ll scan qRD and other government activities affecting Texada, then report weekly updates on my Texada Resilience website; plus weekly in-person office hours alternating between Van Anda and Gillies Bay;
MONTHLY: I’ll hold monthly in-person community meetings, giving my verbal Director’s Report followed by open discussion; to be summarized in the Express Lines and full version posted on Texada Resilience website.
ANNUALLY: Texada Director’s Annual Report to Texadans will review what worked in the past year and what needs improvement, plus plans for the coming year, and how you can participate, with impact.
“Texadans deserve to be well-informed and heard BEFORE qRD decisions are made.”
*Contact Tom:
Email: ravenbaywoods@gmail.com
Cell/text: 602-414-9998
Facebook private message: Tom Read
What steps would you take to reduce qRD property taxes region-wide?
My answer:
First, adopt a frugal attitude toward expenses, especially regarding the single highest expense in local government, namely staff wages and salaries — especially salaries. More broadly, qRD as an organization should adopt resilience and frugality as its guiding principles — no more perpetual growth.
By focusing on resilience and frugality, qRD will adopt a strategy shift that’s supported by the specific economic, social and ecological realities of our region — including the reality that qRD property taxes are already unaffordable for many in this region and must be brought under control.
Second, adopt a frugal approach to complying with provincial mandates, also known as “downloads.” Minimal compliance is still compliance, and it costs much less than constantly expanding bureaucracy.
Third, reduce the top-heavy management layer at qRD: we have three layers of management and only one layer of workers. Support the workers.
Fourth, wherever possible, reach out to community volunteers with high levels of technical expertise rather than hiring big-bucks consultants from far-away places.
Fifth, end expensive perks by qRD executives, such as taxpayer-funded travel to accept awards given by their professional peers. Executives with six-figure salaries can afford to pay for their own career self-promotion.
Etc., etc., etc.
How would you improve qRD services on Texada — without raising taxes?
My answer:
We can improve Texada’s electoral area services by changing budget priorities. Essentially, we need to re-allocate a $650,000 unnecessary surplus and excessive operating budget from the over-funded Texada Airport to other services that are under-funded, including Texada Rescue and Texada Grant-in-Aid. Result: better services with no net tax increase to pay for it.
What are some examples of your interactions with qRD that have benefited Texadans?
My answer:
Here are examples of my advocacy regarding the regional district:
— I pushed to have the words “minimal regulation” as part of the Vision Statement in our 2005 Official Community Plan. Those words were retained in the 2021 OCP Vision Statement, and they’ve helped protect us from zoning and building bylaws being proposed by regional district staff.
— I helped persuade the regional district Board of Directors to adopt a “policy statement” approach to implementing the provincial Riparian Areas Regulation, thus Texadans were spared from intrusive and expensive regulation that the Board was contemplating at the urging of staff.
— I made a presentation at a regional district Board meeting to keep our Lot 6 heavy metal dump operating freely, rather than be stifled by new regulations that were being proposed by staff.
— I convinced the Board of Directors to allow hangars to be built at Texada Airport, so local aviation enthusiasts could keep their small planes protected from the weather.
— I helped get the Board to approve a partial property tax exemption for the Texada Legion, reversing a staff recommendation to deny our Legion a tax break.
— I alerted Texadans to the regional district’s plan to impose an “untidy premises” bylaw, which stopped that staff-driven nonsense cold.
…and more.