6 — Wednesday, April 23, 1997 — North Shore News

O more. That’s the terse mes-

sage taxpayers sent with the

surprising defeat of the North
Vancouver school district’s $2 million
high-technology referendum.

Surprising because the well-organized
Yes’ side, supported by most school
trustees and. t advisory councils,
was unable to defcat the much less cohe-
sive No side.

The resounding no is a healthy
reminder from the average citizen of the
need for fiscal responsibility in the pub-
lic sector,

But some radical thinking is needed to
make sure the people we refer to as our
future get the technology they deserve
without dipping into more taxpayer
money.

Parent fundraising cannot be relied
on to finance the $11 million it will cost

north shore news

NEWS VIEWPOINT
Tech tussle

The money will have to come from the
$100-million school district budget. Of
that budget, 93% goes to wages and ben-
efits for school district empfoyces. If the
school district is ever going to return to
a student focus, that will have to change.

Last year, government-appointed
trustee Bob Smith said North Vancouver
spends $4.9 million more each year on
instruction than the average of six other
similar school districts.

That’s where the moncy for technolo-
gy can be found.

The hope that a cash-strapped provin-
cial government will provide the money
is far-fetched. Don’t waste time asking
for more. Instead, focus on doing, more
for students with the money at hand.

That will call for cooperation between
the school board, employees, and the
province.

to meet Victoria’s technology guidelines.

. THE North Shore News
_. Bree Speech Defence Fund
« is closing in on $40,000.

~ ‘Fo. press time Tuesday, dona-
. tions from News readers and free

7 speech ‘supporters to the fund,

, which.was initiated on March 26,

* steod at $39,580.34.

AM funds received will heip
defray the mounting legal costs

~. faced by the News in its legal battle
“with the Human Rights Tribunal
“over-a complaint laid against the ~
newspaper and its columnist Doug

oe Collins by the Canadian Jewis!

Congress.

“ Ahearing into the matter has been set for May 12 of this year.

: Thus far the News’ legal costs to defend it and Mr. Collins in

the lead-up to the Human Rights Tribunal hearing have been

substantial; almust $70,000. The hearing will cost the newspa-

per much more. And a case challenging the constitutionality of

> the Human Rights Code before the Supreme Court could cost
_ up to $200,000.

» «= Donations to the North Shore News Free Speech Defence

Fund can be sent to the News offices, 1139 Lonsdale Ave.,
‘North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. Cheques should be made out to

the North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund.

: — trenshaw@direct.ca

if north shore

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Beware Third Crossing confusion

HIGHWAYS Minister Lois
Boone has finally highlighted the
secret formula behind the claim
by an NDP cabinct colleague that
“government can

do anything it
likes.”

‘The formula being
goversment by confi-
sion. Confusion as in
deficit budget “surplus-
es”. Confusion as in
no-fault, no-fault fite
or no-change auto
insurance. Confusion
regarding “destina-
tion” casinos — definitely or just maybe.
Confusion about health board mandates
and school funding.

And nowhere is the state of confusion
greater than that in which the minister feft
the public last week with her long-awaited
Lions Gate Bridge announcement.

Victoria, which has promised a third
crossing decision every six months since
1993, will not now make a decision until
January 1998, Whatever it is, the govern-
ment won’t spend a cent over $70 million
— just enough to fix the crumbling deck
of the present span and slap on a fresh
coat o “paint ;

So if the public wants a sew crossing,
the private sector will have to build it —
but to strict conditions laid down by cur
temporary NDP masters. These include a
four-lane bridge on the same alignment as
the Lions Gate, with a tunnel costing up
to $200 million extra to funnel part or all
of the increased traffic under the Stanicy
Park causeway. What happens when even

PETER SPEC:
Publisher

ae,
ae

Manager Display Manager

Compiler
985-2131 (133) 985-2131 (116)

more vehicles than today hit West Georgia
Street is not explained.

What és very clearly explained is that
such a public/private sector crossing will
cost users a minimum $2-cach-way toll —

meaning an extra $1,000
a year for daily com-
muters to and from
work.
If they can’t afford it,
notes the minister com-
fortingly; they can always
use the Second Narrows.
If no private-sector pro-
posal the government
“likes” comes up in the
next cight months,
Victoria will simply do its
$70-million band-aid job on the creaking
old structure and bid us “have a nice
day!” Completely ignored in Victoria’s
bafflegab are three vital questions:

(1) Where is any long-term relief for
cross-Infet tralfic — including a rapid
transit link?

(2) Why worsen conditions on West
Georgia Street?

(3) Why guarantee Second Narrows
gridlock with a toll on the First Narrows
alone?

The Bentzen Tunnel project — fre-
quently featured in this column and
endorsed by hundreds of thinking North
Shore people — answers all these questions.

Burrowing from around McKay in
North Van under both the Inlet and the
downtown core to False Creek (with a
branch feed to near West Georgia and
Pender), it would carry six ic lanes
and two rapid transit tracks.

Te’s a true 21st-Century solution.

Moreover, it would largely pay for

itself by building an artificial island off
Brockton Point from excavation fill and
selling half of it for real estate develop-
ment — meaning tolls could be minimal
and need not be imposed on the First or
Second Narrows spans. Yet the Bentzen
project, conceived and planned by the -
engincer who built Delta’s George Massey
Tunnel, is never mentioned among official
options — simply because Vancouver City
Council has tured thumbs down on the
d island as “environmentally”
unacceptable, .
Any of Victoria’s suggested solutions
are equally or even more unacceptable
“environmentally.” So demand to have
the Bentzen Tunnel plan on the table
with all the others. Don’t let our four-year
NDP dictators get you muddled with
soothing double-talk. Never forget that
their motto is “confuse and conquer” —
and that they’re professionals at the game!
000

JUST IN TIME, maybe, to catch
tonight’s (April 23) AGM of the West
Van Historical Society starting at 7 p.m.
in the West Van Seniors Centre ... Many
happy returns of this same day to North
Van's Bette Booth (wherever your cruise '
ship may be!) ... Say that again today to
North Van's David Bain ... And tomor- |
row, April 24, a 41-candle salute to West
Van's Jeff Adams.
~ 000

WRIGHT OR WRONG: Politicians
who throw dirt inevitably lose ground.

wala North Shore News bestenes
strongly in freedom of speech and the right
of all sides in a debate to be heavd. The —
columnists published in the News present
differing points of view, bet those views are
not necessarily those of the newspaper itself.

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