Tom Fletcher’s recent peice entitled BC Greens would raise taxes, run deficits from (Oak Bay News, April 24) does much to fuel fears of Oak Bay residents who perhaps don’t fully understand the subtleties and/or specific fine print details of some of the BC Green party platform.
As a semi-retired educator of many years, I can speak to the relevance and need for “lifelong learning” including expanding Kindergarten to three and four-year-olds as well as no charge daycare for working parents until children turn three. The current provincial government has done such an efficient job of slashing education budgets, the mind boggles with its mismanagement not to mention a disconnect with its citizenry. Thankfully, the Supreme Court restored some iota of justice here. As an educator, Dr. Weaver knows firsthand of what he speaks.
Not mentioned in Fletcher’s article was the capital gains tax on primary residences which has been scaring Oak Bay residents near and far. Some people are misinterpreting the lifetime capital gains tax, thinking the BC Greens are going after the equity in our homes. Not true. To my understanding, the BC Greens want old and young people staying in our homes. This tax will therefore target speculation and won’t impact homeowners who have lived in their homes five years or longer. At this moment, to the best of my knowledge, the BC Greens are the only party that’s willing to take a stand on this issue outside of metro Vancouver.
So if you want to stay in your principal residence, vote BC Green.
Annie Jensen
Cadboro Bay