AG ~- Wednesday, November 18, 1981 - North Shore News The money vote Saturday's civic elections on the North Shore are predominantly about money. Even more than in previous years, their outcome could have early effects on the individual resident’s pocketbook. The gut issue in all three municipalities is the unprecedented tax burden imposed this year — and forecast again for next year on most North Shore homeowners. Closely related issues are the present inequitable sharing of the ‘total tax load between homeowners and industry under assessment Option ‘D’; the apparent paradox of exorbitant school taxes at a time of declining school enrolments; and the clear need for an overall review of assessment and school cost-sharing formulas controlled by the provincial government. : : The urgency of the situation was underscored again last week when North ved School Board increased its 1981-82 adget by a whopping 1412% or nearl $8 million. . Also part of the picture, especially in North Van City, is the plight of many tenants — squeezed between savage rent increases and a vacancy rate still little above zero. Most candidates in Saturday’s elections are addressing these key problems in varying degrees — some with insight and determination, others more vaguely and superficially. Given the overall state of the economy, solutions are not easy to come by. But they're desperately needed and they won't be produced by the confused or the faint-hearted. That’s why it’s more vital than ever this year for voters to protect their pocket- books by turning out in strength to the polls to elect the candidates who seem best qualified to provide that protection. Stumped! City council’s agonizing over how to get around one of its own bylaws which has suddenly barred two residents from parking in their own driveways as they've being doing for years would have delighted Laurel and Hardy. But actually, it’s not so funny. If THAT speck of bureaucratic nonsense stumps the City Fathers, heaven help them when it comes to coping with the community’s real pro- blems. rae wenn sunday news narth shore 1139 Lonsdale Ave. North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 news (604) 985-2131 ADVERTISING NEWS 980-0511 CLASSIFIED 685-2131 986-6222 CIRCULATION 986-1337 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Advertising Director Robert Graham Noel Wright Eric Cardwell Managing Editor Newn & :.tor Andy Fraser Chris toyd General Manager Cree re Administration Direc wor Bern Hillard Production Director Rick Stonehouse Tim: .ncis Photography Eltsworth Oickson Accounting Supervisor Circulation Director Barbara Keen Bran A E ths Purcheser Faye McCrae North Shore News foundod in 160 as an INndapondeant Community Newspaper and qualhed under Schedule Wo Partlll Parageaph Mt of the tacise Tan Act ow published each Wednosday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Cid and cinatibuled to every Goon on He North Shore Second Clann Mail Aegint ation Number 3J88% Subecriptions $20 per year Entire contents All rights reserved 1981 North Shore Free Prees Ltd No. rertpreeeveababity se ergelesct tone cate tye tte eter) cvsesbeve seat tore toe dtrgy APraaetgatee CIGD carved gore tear es whee Fob ibed Pres ove CCetTag pear reared] Thy oo maar rig revct addhonsed onvetape VE RIFE O CIRCtUn ATION 63.349 Wednesdey $2.54060 Sunday SIN’ THIS PAPER ISARECYCLABLE CANADIAN COMMENT After nearly two years of construction, a new suite of meeting offices for the cabinet is finally finished and in full operation. Federal ministers have been using the new facility for the past few months, but it’s only a few weeks ago that security men finished thoroughly checking the place for possible electronic eavesdropping devices. When Parliament is_ sit- ting, the federal cabinet habitually meets on the third floor of the House of Commons, just to the east of the entrance to the public gallery. You can tell cabinet is in session because there's a bored looking security guard at a desk outside when major affairs of state are tran- Spiring inside. Cabinet has now shifted across the hall, from a large single room, with one large oval table, to a suite of rooms, containing anti- rooms, for waiting officials, private areas where ministers can contact their officials privately by phone and smaller meeting rooms, where cabinet committees can wrestle with the problems of the nation. Walls had to be knocked down and at least two cabinet ministers shifted to new offices to make way for the new cabinet meeting the unwashed suite. They even had to remove one of the public washrooms. Remember nearly 20 years ago when a young man blew himself up with a home-made bomb in Parliament? He had ap- parently intended to hurl it to the floor of the commons while MPs were meeting. It went off in the washroom while he was setting it. The new washroom is now part of the cabinet of holy-of-holies. It’s high time the federal cabinet had a proper suite of offices for conducting the affairs of the nation. And without a doubt, more space for the largest cabinet in Canadian history was cer- tainly a factor in approving of the construction. What really moved Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to action, however, was the annoying habit of news reporters. They gathered in the corridor by the score before and after cabinet meetings, attempting to glean information from cabinet ministers arriving or departing. They even ac- costed Prime Minister Trudeau himself. In the new cabinet suite, there’s a clear way for the PM to go from his House of Commons office to cabinet and back again, without ever having to brush shoulders with the unwashed in the corridor. UFFI relief Ottawa is still dragging its heels but Victoria may be able to help them a little. The victims of urea _ for- maldehyde foam insulation, thatis. The B.C. Assessment Authority advises that UFFI homeowners who find the value of their property has dropped as a result of in- stalling the controversial insulation material earlier recommended by the federal government may qualify for a reduced 1982 property tax DONT. TELL ME... LL BET YOU'RE HERE. TO CHECK THE INSULATION > offered assessment. UFFI homeowners wishing to claim that tax relief measure should contact the North Van- couver office of the Assessment Authority immediately in order that their claim can be reviewed prior to the issue of 1982 assessment notices on January |. The office is located at 210-255 West Ist Street, North Vancouver. Phone 984-9751. Elections ‘81: the heats’ on Thanks, candidates! Since this column needled you last week about a noticeable lack of action in the first 16 days of the municipal elections campaign, things have improved quite a bit on the hustings. We're beginning to feel you actual- ly want our votes. That’s good. With less than 72 hours left until the polling staQons open (Saturday, 8 a.m. to & p.m.) here’s how your hum. ble scribe sees Elections °8] shaping up Comments and = opimons stnctly my own Don't eget mad at anyone else Pirst, however, harmless vital statistics. Overall in the three North Shore municipalitics and West Van school board we have 27 candidates chasing 14 seats That's about par for the course in this annual musical chairs game - ap proximately two hopefuls for every vacancy has become the tradition in recent years Two points of interest this time The first 1s a very healthy turnout of ladies The seven female candidates represent better than 25 per cent of the starting field Thats good Watching the antics of City Fathers year by year [Em all for more City Mothers Tf} could for at beast sia of them the Td vite BANQUET SEATS Phe year second how point this the appetite for power grows with the feast No fess than 12 incumbents are battling to hang on to them «seats the for nent course In the unlikely event that they all succeed, that would leave only two empty places for the 15 outside contenders - both of them in West Van where George Morfitt ts rering from council and Lihan Thersch from school board In North Van City and District the only way to get to the banquet is to pull the chair from under one of the present guests As always, municipal and school board elections are not only the most direct form of democracy but also the most personal The peo ple matter more than the platforms Can they do what they say”? This tame. as platforms the boringly similar in most cases Borled down to the bone usuai are they pre mise cracellence in the quah ty and vanety of scrvices to be achieved al minimal cost to taxpayers In brict sample mothe shood OPTION A Nevertheless four spec itis issucs arc cmcrping strongly as the countdown begins in North Van Oistriet ats shame and anger garbage dump the spearheaded Over Noel Wright SEE SPECIAL ELECTION SUPPLEMENT Page A23 by Jim Fraser but on the shopping list of most other candidates toc In both the [asters t and the City its housing and te hant power the protection of renters DPhats the tide with which Rithard Biockburn Greg Richmond and Dana Taytor in the City together with Ernie Crist and Marilyn Baker in District, are swimming strongly. In West Van it’s outrage about being stuck with the highest school taxes in B.C. (average $819 vs. an average of $15 in the boondocks out- side Greater Vancouver) To date, school board can- didates Darrell Frith and Margot Furk seem to be us- ing that issue most effective- ly. Finally, almost every can- didate (incumbent or other wise) supports a switch to tax assessment Option ‘A’ as be- ing fairer to the homeowner than the present Option ‘D’ which favors industrial pro- perty over residential Assessment crusader Betty Griffin) in North Van District, however, holds the patents on this one — which could put her in the West Queens council chamber come December On principle, of course | never endorse = individual candidates But if you twisted my arm badly. I'd confess as ai Tiddlycove voter, that Pll be voting Gor don Rowntree for West Var council There has to be something about a guy as mice as Crore don who learns through ninc years of punishment and still bobs back smiling | get the feching | might even be miss ing the bus if] said Une” te tim any longer Choose — for yoursell wherever you live And please don't forget to do Saturday with a blunt pencil in your neighborhood school or church hall