A preliminary investigation of the mayoral candidates in the upcoming municipal election reveals some interesting bits and bytes of information.
Paul Lalli says he wants to ensure that we have a clear four-year tax plan the community can support and afford. One commenter on The Chief鈥檚 website rejoiced.
鈥淎t last a candidate talking about tax affordability. Municipal tax rates have been rising above inflation for far too long,鈥� he noted. And it looks like Lalli will have a high profile project in his sights. In a 2015 letter to the editor of The Chief, he was unequivocal in his support of the Garibaldi at Squamish resort proposal.
He said 鈥淲e are very lucky that we have investors who would consider investing millions of dollars here鈥� let鈥檚 create a new tax base and employment for our children.鈥�
Susan Chapelle believes 鈥淪quamish is ready for a new style of leadership: one that requires true collaboration amongst its citizens, politicians, and district staff.鈥� Chapelle is not afraid to enter the FAQ zone, that is, she is willing to ask frequently avoided questions. During a recent Committee of the Whole meeting she pointed to the inherent flaws in the District鈥檚 Brennan Park upgrades survey, which 84 per cent of online respondents failed to complete.
She called it an 鈥渋ncredibly biased survey and presentation.鈥� One tongue-in-cheek pundit on The Chief鈥檚 web page agreed and suggested the District should hire a consultant to monitor the consultants who developed the survey.
Jeff Cooke has promised, 鈥渢o get very aggressive about recruiting companies to come here.鈥� He said that process got started when as president of the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association he envisioned creating a rec tech business hub and a bike in/bike out community on land owned by Bob Cheema.
One inspired observer lauded Cooke鈥檚 efforts on The Chief鈥檚 website: 鈥淛eff helped create a win-win position with the Cheema deal against all odds鈥� It appears that managing change and divisive user groups are two of his most potent skills as a leader.鈥� But another observer expressed doubts. 鈥淭here are other ways to deal with recreational access disputes than giving way to...聽 landowners when they threaten to close land,鈥� he wrote.
Karen Elliott says she has the skill-set to help people work better together to get results. Following the publication of her mayoral candidacy, one poster on The Chief鈥檚 website said 鈥淢y experience with Karen Elliott has been very positive. She is calm, firm, respectful, and honest. She goes out of her way to answer questions.鈥�
Another online analyst had a different opinion. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of nice platitudes here about collaborative decision-making, but also a lot of wishy-washy double-speak from someone that suggests rules are situational, and that being elected to council has granted her some special power of interpreting what the public thinks,鈥� he said.
With those random observations in mind, the campaign for the big chair at muni hall is about to get 鈥渃uriouser and curiouser.鈥�
Editor鈥檚 note: as of press deadline, little had been heard from candidate for mayor, Tess Linsley. Thus, she was not mentioned in this column.
