Editor: The proposal for a speculation tax is another excellent deception by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson.
It is another tax levy, er cash cow, for the city, achieved by taxing high-priced real estate. At the same time, he deflects his role in a runaway industry at the same time.
Excuse me, but all of Metro Vancouver鈥檚 real estate market is overpriced. Its entire makeup is perception and drivers that echo the stock market 鈥� not actual tangible value.
Housing is now a commodity. There is no density debate amongst Metro residents. Residents know that one million people are coming and they also know they have no say in it. For most, there are only feelings of anxiety and for a few there are anticipations of windfalls.
It is ironic that the very ambience that made Metro a magnet is now being destroyed by the capitalists who are making the market. The same factors that create this real estate frenzy are creating traffic congestion.
The problem starts with the federal government. Every level of government nurses, capitalizes and promotes it. Creating laneway houses and 300 square foot lofts may suit a handful of idealists with rose- coloured glasses, but you can鈥檛 raise a family of four, five or six in such surroundings.
To the fanatics that argue building more roads only brings more cars, specialty housing will only fuel market making and higher prices. No studies are needed.
Already road hockey has disappeared. It is against the law to smoke, drink, use air mattresses or beach balls at the beach, but it鈥檚 OK to ooze your toes through the sand and dog s--t where the most expensive real estate on the planet (west of Spanish Banks) is now a dog beach.
Last year they actually closed the beach during a heat spike because (wait for it) there was too many people.
The federal government already permitted the fishing out of the richest fishing hole in the world in the Grand Banks, and it will not recover in our lifetime. The expected sockeye count on the Adams River last year did not materialize by half.
These people can鈥檛 manage fish, so now they will try managing people? Metro has been on water rations every summer for as long as I can remember. The million people will also need water and South Surrey ran out of that a few years ago for a couple of days. Maybe Nestles will help us out and we can buy some back from them for a buck a litre.
The foundation is already cracked. People are moving out because all their tax money is being used to finance the future and there is not enough left to look after today. The cost of this program is far too high. The locals are being squeezed and choked financially, psychologically and physically.
There is no need for debate.
Fix the problem.
Richard Keill,
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