Re: “CRD approves borrowing $103M for bigger West Shore RCMP building,” Nov. 14.

I was still mayor of View Royal during the early discussions of the new West Shore RCMP building. Collectively, we decided that a first-rate public relations process was essential and would be a guiding principle throughout the project.

We felt it was imperative that the ­public be fully informed of all decisions and be given the chance to voice their opinions.

Imagine my surprise three years later to learn more from an article in the Times Colonist than I have learned from any other source in the intervening three years.

How is it possible that all these ­decisions have been made without any public process? How is it possible that the need for voter consent to the borrowing has been seemingly bypassed?

How is it possible that a range of options has not been presented to ­residents in the three municipalities with a request for feedback? How is it ­possible that our elected representatives have seemingly forgotten they have a ­responsibility to the residents to keep them informed?

This project, while necessary, will cause double-digit tax increases for ­Colwood, Langford and View Royal. And that alone demands the participation of the residents.

My understanding is that the full $118 million is going to be borrowed up front, and this is another troubling aspect.

Why not incremental borrowing as the project proceeds, which would spread the impact over multiple years? Why are we borrowing the entire amount rather than using some existing resources to lessen the impact?

This whole project could have been handled so much better, and I encourage residents to contact their councils and demand accountability.

To see an article in the newspaper that states a motion could happen in ­December to finalize this is simply not good enough.

And it is something I would have never supported in my time as mayor.

David Screech

View Royal

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto recently expressed regret that it took her nearly a year to focus on community safety and well-being.

But this isn’t a minor oversight — it’s the clearest example of why her ­leadership has failed Victoria.

For more than two years, residents and businesses have watched downtown deteriorate while the mayor insisted the situation was under control.

Only when public frustration reached a breaking point did she finally act, rolling out an expensive 99-point plan that was less vision and more emergency triage. Alto now suggests that had she started sooner, the city might be further ahead.

That admission speaks volumes. A capable mayor doesn’t wait a year to address obvious crises like street disorder, tenting and the collapse of the social safety net.

The same delayed response is evident on housing. While she proudly touts progress on provincial targets, only 363 below-market rentals have been ­created in two years — a fraction of what’s needed.

Her shrug that affordability is “out of municipal control” isn’t leadership; it’s resignation.

Victoria is staring at an $8-million budget shortfall, a problem created by years of unfocused priorities and reactive spending. Residents are left paying........

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