PETITION to the North Salt Spring Waterworks District Trustees regarding their support for incorporation on behalf of ratepayers

We consider it inappropriate and factually incorrect for the NSSWD to support and publicly promote incorporation for Salt Spring Island because it is “in the best interests of the district’s ratepayers”.  It is not at all clear that incorporation is in the best interests of the district’s ratepayers. Federal and provincial infrastructure funding for waterworks is already available through the CRD, if the District chose to be administered by CRD.  Incorporation will bring higher costs for roads and policing that will inevitably lead to higher taxation, and more development to cover these costs, which in turn will put further demands on NSSWD. Spiraling costs and demand and supply problems are common issues for BC municipalities. Salt Spring’s current system of governance moderates the pace of development and demand for services. The District does not represent our position and should be neutral.

We the undersigned, being current ratepayers of the North Salt Spring Waterworks District, do NOT agree that the incorporation of Salt Spring Island is in our best interests as ratepayers; we request that North Salt Spring Waterworks District immediately cease promoting incorporation, and we ask the Trustees to retract their motion in support of municipal status and issue a public statement to that effect.