Dear editor:
Enrique Massot’s opinion piece (countynewsonline.ca), ‘Has Rocky View been working for you?’, is an excellent summation of what has occurred and is still occurring in Rocky View County (RVC).
It may even be worse than described. It is true that RVC is a rich community, but many people have the greatest portion of their personal wealth in their home values.
Due to a variety of very questionable developments, many adjacent and almost adjacent property values have seen decreases in market value of $250,000 or more.
There are at least a few lovely homes in neighbourhoods that were very desirable a few years ago that I, personally, would not want to live in now even if they were free.
At this rate RVC won’t be a rich community for long.
Perhaps even more insidious is the determination of the current council to consider residents and ‘ratepayers’ on an equal footing.
There are definitely ratepayers who don’t live in RVC but own and run legitimate and very worthwhile businesses in the county, but for the most part, ratepayers are land speculators.
They neither live nor have functional businesses in RVC. Rather they have purchased farmland they wish to develop.
They sit on that land until their council buddies approve whatever development they propose – potential flooding, traffic, sewage and community problems be damned.
An interesting but little known aspect is the rate of tax these ‘ratepayers’ are actually charged by RVC – less than $1 per acre per year. Just think of that – less than $1/acre/year.
Although it is not true of all developers, a much bigger expense for many is “gifts’’ (a.k.a. election expenses) to the councillors with a proven track record of always voting in favour of any development when gifts have been received from that developer.
They may, for example, own half a quarter (80 acres), more than enough to build an enormous shopping centre or huge residential development or both. For this they would pay less than $80 annually.
Compare that with your annual property tax. Yet council is determined to consider them on an equal basis with you.
Keep in mind, that if your home floods due to inappropriate stormwater or sewage from this development, you and you alone would be financially responsible.
You would also be paying for road improvements, firehalls, recreation facilities or whatever else may be needed as a result of this development.
It’s not equal. It is a greatly preferred status.
This is why so many developers wish to come to RVC. Neither Calgary nor any other municipality would allow such shackling of residents.
Jerry Arshinoff, RVC councillor
