Jean Swanson, one of the candidates in this fall’s by-election for Vancouver City Council, has recently proposed a mansion tax. Under her proposal, property taxes would be tiered in much the same way that income tax is tiered — the lower your property value, the lower your property tax rate would be. In making her…
Category: COPE
The shadow of Geoff Meggs
Big news on the political front: Geoff Meggs is leaving civic politics and moving to the provincial scene, where he will be working for premier-designate, John Horgan, as chief of staff. While I have been very pleased with all of John Horgan’s other announcements so far, this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth….
Double or nothing: Garbage collection vs. city councillors?
City council salaries are in the news again! The Vancouver Courier’s Mike Howell, in one of his recent 12th and Cambie columns, notes that all city councillors but one are earning more than $100,000 per year, and that’s before any additional remuneration they collect, say, for chairing other committees such as ones tied to Metro…
A tale of two school boards: One fiery, one fired
One of my fondest political memories is the night when results came in for the by-election of a brand new Vancouver School Board in 1986. Two years earlier, in 1984, COPE (Coalition of Progressive Electors) had won a bare majority on the school board, electing five of the nine trustees. They had campaigned very heavily…
A tip of the hat to my old friend, Harry
Today is the 14th anniversary of Harry Rankin’s passing. Many of you may know that Harry Rankin is my hero and mentor. I know it sounds a bit corny to say it, but he really did have a heart of gold. He also had the most unbelievable work ethic, and he combined these qualities with…
Press release: COPE calls for real public input into a new transportation plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2015 COPE CALLS FOR REAL PUBLIC INPUT INTO A NEW TRANSPORTATION PLAN ——————————— Plebiscite process a mockery of democracy Now that the people of Metro Vancouver have rejected the transportation plebiscite, the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) calls on the Mayors’ Council to go back to the people and…
Heritage Disappearing While the Dust Settles
Finally — finally — the city is moving with its Heritage Action Plan to update Vancouver’s heritage policies and registers, which themselves are fit for a dusty museum shelf they’re so old and out of date. But the whole process has been like molasses in January, dribbling slowly now into spring and on into summer….