I appreciate the views expressed by M.J. Morris RCMP Superintendent (retired) Prince George. I think it is very important that we keep things in perspective when we talk about this new building. I and I am sure many others, do not have a problem with renovating or building a police station that meets the needs of our local police.
In fact that is what we did when we built the new station in 1972. The present building was designed and built with the approval of the city council and RCMP of the day. It was designed to be expanded to fill the needs of the police into the future. We are now being told that it can't be renovated and that we need a new station.
My position is that if in fact we need a new building, then we need to look closely at the cost. The new police building on Fourth and Victoria will cost us $38.9 million. Financing over 20 years will be $35.8 million, so we are looking at an overall cost of $74.7 million. This borrowing in addition to other borrowing in the near future will drive up our taxes, and effect our basic services.
City council has a duty to look at all aspects of taxing. My question is, are we spending to ensure that all levels of service are adequate? Are we building a penthouse, when a three-bedroom apartment on the ground floor would be sufficient?
This present alternative approval process is to borrow an additional $13,821,000 to supplement the $23,917,000 already approved but not borrowed.
The citizens of Prince George are entitled to a vote on an expenditure of this size, and the city should have gone directly to a referendum to get the approval to borrow $38.9 million, instead of having three alternative approval process's over seven years. Why does the city consistently ignore the referendum route, and always go to the alternate approval process? Could it be, because the alternative approval process is almost impossible to succeed?
I strongly urge every citizen of Prince George over the age of 18, including Mr. Morris, to get a copy of the alternative approval process, either off the city's Web site, or from city hall, and to sign and return it to the city.
This will force the city to give us a vote on this huge expenditure, which in effect is what the democratic process is all about.
Eric Allen
Prince George
