Dyas grilled by local media
Following are edited highlights of a question-and-answer session Wednesday between newly declared Kelowna mayoral contender Tom Dyas and members of the local media. Q: Why have you been disappointed with Mayor Colin Basran? A: I have been disappointed probably more so with the issues. In order to have the in-depth discussion that needs to be had around the issues, you need to have somebody with experience back there.
If out of this whole process comes an acknowledgement that you need to be stronger, then it’s a win for the whole community. Q: Why should Colin Basran lose his job? A: When you are running for a term, you know that term expires at a certain time. So you are always constantly responsible to the electorate when they vote. I’m not making that decision. It will be the people of Kelowna who vote who make that decision.
Q: What should the city have been doing that it wasn’t doing over the past four years to address issues like homelessness and social disorder downtown? What would you have done differently?
A: Pull the partners together. BC Housing, Interior Health, business leaders, the city and social service agencies need to be at the same table. Reflecting back, it has not been that way.
I respect the Journey Home process (the city’s anti-homelessness strategy). The downside of it is that it did not address any of the issues that we’re experiencing right at this time.
These issues are affecting a lot of individuals, and we know the effects of it on our business and our tourism.
Q: You’re critical of the city raising municipal taxes 16 per cent over the past four years. Are you committing today to a certain tax increase in the next four years if you win election as mayor?
A: No. What I am committing to is to seriously look at the expense with regards to what the city spends, and are there ways to save or other ways to do revenue? Presented with the 2017 budget last fall, I believe the city council only managed to reduce it by $80,000, and $40,000 of that was for LED lights.