The newest candidate vying for a spot on Saanich council wants the district to do away with its controversial Environmental Development Permit area, calling it B次元官网网址渁n exercise in bureaucratic redundancy.B次元官网网址�
Michael Geoghegan is the fifth candidate to throw his hat in the ring for the to fill the vacancy created by the in March.
Geoghegan, a 51-year-old government relations consultant, said the EDPA duplicates many existing environmental regulations covered by the provincial and federal governments.
B次元官网网址淪aanich took it upon itself to act as if none of these other things existed. To me it seems like itB次元官网网址檚 been a huge headache at tremendous expense, and a bit of a make-work project for some biologist consultants. LetB次元官网网址檚 get rid of it, weB次元官网网址檝e got more than enough adequate protection.B次元官网网址�
He sees housing, taxes and accountability as the three main issues facing Saanich residents, and addressing those issues is what prompted him to seek public office.
Geoghegan said more inventory is the solution to the current housing crisis, and Saanich is seeing too many housing projects being delayed, denied or downsized, resulting in a reduction in the number of units available for sale or rent.
B次元官网网址淐ouncillors have been so fixated on not upsetting the immediate people in the area because thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be a building there, itB次元官网网址檚 created this crisis where we have a 0.5 per cent vacancy rate.B次元官网网址�
HeB次元官网网址檚 calling for a shift in focus from single-family homes towards more higher-density residential construction, along with commercial and industrial development, as ways to grow the districtB次元官网网址檚 tax base.
B次元官网网址淲hat youB次元官网网址檙e able to do is give your existing taxpayers a break,B次元官网网址� said Geoghegan, pointing to a 58 per cent increase in Saanich property taxes between 2006 and 2016. B次元官网网址淚f we can grow the tax base then we donB次元官网网址檛 have to keep going back to the taxpayers to pick their pocket.B次元官网网址�
He also wants to see a move to greater accountability, and will take steps to ensure spyware will not be placed on the computers of elected officials, as was discovered shortly after the 2014 municipal elections. B次元官网网址淲hy was new mayorB次元官网网址檚 computer loaded with spyware? Who made that decision?B次元官网网址� he asked, calling for more transparency.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time for a little sunlight to come in on what appears to be a rather shady situation,B次元官网网址� said Geoghegan. B次元官网网址淭his council dragged its feet on webcasting its council hearings. Let there be greater transparency.B次元官网网址�
Geoghegan joins , , and as candidates who have declared for the Sept. 23 byelection.
