Re: “Residents deserve a say,” Oak Bay News, July 3
The only statement correct in “Residents deserve a say” was that council was elected to represent the citizens. The referendum question was simple enough for a fifth grader to understand and was a simple yes/no. Even Mr. Vickers with Amalgamation Yes stated on CFAX that the question was not clear, given the mysterious municipality was not indicated. Duh, Oak Bay could only join with Saanich or Victoria.
The province can study and determine the pros and cons of amalgamation. However, I would suggest that Oak Bay would not be interested. It would lose its unique identity, pay higher taxes given its higher average property value compared to other municipalities, and may lose on height restriction. The big issue of saving is not that big an issue relative to the change in character under a larger city.
Jim Thomas
Victoria