10 - Friday, May 27, 1994 - North Shore News 'V school taxes to decrease SCHOOL TAXES will drop for West Vancouver homeown- ers this year, district secretary- treasurer Len Archer told a school] board meeting May 16. WEST VANCOUVER SCHOCL BOARD By Douglas Broome For owners of homes assessed at $437,000, the district average, school taxes will fall by $20 from $692 to $672. For a house assessed at $857,000, the tax decrease will be warth $147. But residential taxpayers in West Vancouver will continue to pay the school operating costs of any provincial school district, he said, Across B.C., local residential taxpayers pay an average of 27% of the block funding received from the province, In West Vancouver, homeowners pay a total of $21 mil- Decision flip-flops confuse developers, Bell's says INCONSISTENT DECI.» SIONS are sending contradic- tory messages to developers — ‘in. North Vancouver City, charged Coun. Bill Bell. » NORTH VANCOUVER : Ci ry COUNCIL... By Robert Calster. “A few months ago we stated - that we wanted to keep prices low . by.i increasing the number.of units. - _ Now we're saying let’s cut that back, even though we.have sent © that directive to the community ” planners.” Bell made the comments. dur- ing.a discussion following. @ lengthy public meeting held eatli- er this month. During the meeting, residents. of the 200 block of East - 6th Street neighborhood expressed their concern over potential view loss and ‘increased density from a development being considered by council, Council later decided to send back to the drawing board Westone Properties’ request for a bylaw amendment to construct a 10-suite development. The structure was initially higher than the 25-foot (7.5 m) maximum set out in the North Vancouver Official Community Plan guidelines. However, citizens pointed out that the new proposal would still block their views and also exceed the maximum number of units suggested by the community plan. Margaret Bell, who lives directly across the street, submil- ted a petition containing 21 signa- tures of concerned neighbors to council. ‘ “They talked about 29 feet ear- lier, bat even at 25 feet the entire view.;of Burrard Inlet and absolutely everything else is blocked,” she said: Coun. John Braithwaite urged council to “get tough” with devel- opers to adhere to all of council's development guidclines. But Bell said that council is setting oul an almost impossible task to the development community. highest proportion of Hon, or 66% of the $32 million received from the provincial min- istry of education. By contrast, North Vancouver homeowners pay local taxes of 37% of the amount sent from Victoria. West Vancouver school district will also receive $434,000 from the ministry for capital expenditures uext year. District parents are also charged fees for various school courses Some schools have sent out their fee schedules in a move criticized by trustee Ken Haycock. “The schools didn't get board approval (for fees) as they are required to by law,” Haycock said in referring school fees to the board's education commiltee. “Parents are feeling fve'd out.” trustee Michacl Macdougatl agreed. Private education, when com- pared with the public system, is appearing to be a better deal for taxpayers and students, While costs per student can be comparable, funds go further in a private system as Federition of Independent Schools Association (FISA) execu- live director Fred Hersst said. Each public-system student in B.C. averaged $5,761 in funding from the provincial government for operational expenditures (capital costs are additional). Private schools received up to $2,880 per student from the government with the difference being made up by the students’ families. But Hersst said restrictions on spending in the public system do not exist to the same degree that ers at the discounted rate given to educational institutions. Under the scheme, the board pays for the computers up front while employ- ees pay the cost in 10 installments, The interest cost to the district is approximately $3,000, said Archer, West Vancouver's acting super- intendent of schools John Calder described the plan as “beneficial they do in the private system so - there is more education for the dol- Jar and more dollars reaching the classroom in the private system. In other news, the board agreed to continue a plan under which up to 30 employees receive interest- free loans 10 buy personal comput- MAY 27" to MAY 29" ONLY! “OUR ENTIRE SELECTION DRAPERY HARDWARE "INCLUDES CONTINENTAL RODS MAY 2 27" to MAY 29" ONLY! DECORATOR COTTON PRINTS 137 cm Reg 14.99 to 34.99 his year educationally. to the district.” The board approved the pur- chase of 28 1BM computers for stu- dent use at a cost of $99,000 with the funds coming from fees paid by foreign students attending district schools. But Haycock said he was not in favor of using international student fees for the equipment. PEIRM SPECIAL. Shampoo, Deep Condiiiuning, Perm; Cut & Style (long hair extra) F Go May 31/94 Chez Elle Estheties & Hair 922-1225 #207-133] Marine Drive West Vancouver Reg. DOMCORD LACE, THREAD, ZIPPERS, BUTTONS, BIAS TAPE, ELASTIC, CARDED NOTIONS, WRIGHTS LACE, RIBBON & CRAFT ACCESSORIES.