VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

NOT ASKING MUCH

A recent mass mailing from HRM to its residents indicates that “the responsibility for regular maintenance of roads and stormwater in your area will be transferred from the Province of Nova Scotia to the Halifax Regional Municipality and Halifax Water.” Note the word “transferred.”

According to this mailing and the websites it references, I calculate that my taxes will be increased by $22 for roads and infrastructure, $40 for a stormwater right of way charge, plus approximately $94 for an impervious area charge, for a total annual additional charge of $156.

Since this is clearly identified as a transfer of responsibility — from the province to HRM — can anyone tell me how to apply for a refund from the province, since they are no longer providing these services?

If I cannot, as I suspect, get a refund, can I at least expect to get my road paved?

John Roff, Boutiliers Point

OVER-REGULATED

I recently viewed a request from the province to submit applications to serve on various agencies, boards and commissions. I was appalled to count 113 of these agencies. Onehundred-and-thirteen! Does a province this small need 113 agencies to administer programs here? Talk about overregulation, not to mention the costs associated therewith.

I realize that many of these positions are voluntary at board level but there are other costs associated with the agencies.

Surely, some of these boards are redundant or unnecessary. Of course, this list does not include all of the other boards and commissions that operate under government, not to mention those at the municipal level.

No wonder the province feels it necessary to extra-tax non-resident landowners.

Dwight Grant, Port Williams

BRAVO, MR. AUSTIN

HRM Coun. Sam Austin’s statement regarding the unplanned, unregulated and unsupported placement of rough shelters throughout public green spaces in HRM is both responsible and courageous.

It’s responsible because it acknowledges the need for government to act to protect the most vulnerable members of our community facing homelessness and the ongoing challenges of affordability. It’s

courageous because it takes a position that is bound to result in strong push back from the more outspoken proponents of extreme forms of direct action.

As a professional social worker who also has been a decision maker in an elected capacity, this is the kind of leadership I expect from the mayor and from council. We elect governments to act in the public interest and to make difficult decisions. When a small group decides they are above the law and can act with impunity, no matter the righteousness of their cause, the result is a weakening in public trust in the democratic process and in democracy itself.

As a citizen, I want my governments to be the ones making planning and other important decisions in an open and transparent way, with opportunities for citizen input, debate and disagreement, and the ability of citizens to hold them to account. I am not a supporter of unelected, unaccountable, unknown persons unilaterally deciding on the use of public spaces.

Housing and homelessness is a serious, very large systemic problem and it requires a very large and serious systemic response from three levels of government.

Maureen Macdonald, Halifax

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

Just a question for HRM councillors. Do you actually know what you’re approving when you sign off on city “beautification” projects, or do you just rubber stamp all projects after being presented with the ideas?

For example, the tons of asphalt used for speed bumps throughout neighbourhoods on streets that need paving. At least put the speed bump over potholes. Bike lanes erected in late fall that go nowhere for a couple of blocks and no one uses. Curbs that jut out into the road, which must be a nightmare for plow operators and, of course, my favourite, the planting of trees under power lines. Great idea but they will eventually grow into the lines and disrupt service, then need to be cut or, at the very least, trimmed.

These are all “nice-to-have” projects, not need-to-have. So, when you sign off on these projects that are complete failures, and expensive, and being told by the bloated senior staff on the payroll that the city is in the red, is that when you decide to raise taxes by five per cent?

Everyone knows the three-percent “climate portion” will be going into the general coffers for the next palm tree planting or wacky beautification project. Kudos to the only two councillors who voted against the tax raise. Maybe take a page from Cape Breton council and put those projects on hold, and give the residents a break with a tax cut. See you next election.

Rob Hazel, Dartmouth

BE AWARE OF TICKS

May is generally known as Lyme Disease Awareness Month around the world. In this regard, there are a few initiatives planned in the province during May.

On Tuesday, there was a flag raising (the first ever for Lyme Disease Awareness Month) and proclamation reading at Halifax city hall. Province House (for the first time) and Halifax city hall were to be lit “lime” green last evening.

On Thursday (May 5), there will be a free Changing Lyme for Life series put on by Fremedica. The featured speaker is Dr. Christine Schaffner, ND. Tarin Boucher, the Nova Scotia winner of a WAVE 1 during a presentation to the NS Lyme Support Group, will be telling her story. Registration is required and you could win a WAVE 1 https://fremedica.com/.

The regularly scheduled monthly Lyme support group meeting will be Tuesday, May 10 at noon. We have been meeting via Zoom since the beginning of COVID. Please reach out to me if interested in receiving the Zoom link for the meeting. All are welcome.

On Wednesday, May 11, there will be a CBC Maritime Noon call-in show featuring Dr. Vett Lloyd and myself. It will be starting at approximately 12:10 p.m. and going until 1 p.m.

On Monday, May 16, at 1:30 pm, Dr. Janet Sperling, an entomologist and new president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, will be giving a free public lecture on Lyme disease in Nova Scotia, via Zoom, put on by the Seniors’ College Association of Nova Scotia. Registration is required via www.thescans.org.

I would love to see people “dress” their homes in lime green for the month of May for Lyme disease awareness. Ticks need to be on everyone's radar.

It’s time for everyone to educate themselves about tick prevention, diagnosis and treatment as the ticks are not going anywhere and we need to learn to live with them.

Donna Lugar, Bedford