While there will be benefits for giving free bus passes to youth 13 to 18 years old, I would also urge the Capital Regional District and city council to consider free bus passes for seniors over the age of 65 who are paying property taxes in the region.

It would be easy to determine who is eligible, based on who is applying for the homeowner grant for seniors.

In the United Kingdom, city councils give seniors over 65 a free bus pass, and they are well used around the country.

Joanne Wiggins

Victoria

Re: “Saanich staff now able to sign off on procurements without council’s OK,” Oct. 22.

Under the new policy, that council has given the initial go-ahead for, unelected directors can approve up to $5 million in contract awards, and the chief administrative officer is able to approve above that number.

Only the budget is the limit.

For reference, Saanich’s annual budget is in the hundreds of millions. In addition, if passed, the CAO can offer similarly unchecked millions more in contract amendments without the approval of elected officials.

With Saanich’s taxes and utilities an unsustainable runaway train, and the debt skyrocketing towards hundreds of millions of dollars, this is no idle matter.

Yet the elected officials are unanimously throwing away their democratic oversight and control of contract procurement.

The same staff that wants practically unchecked power over procurement spending has no issue increasing ­building heights to 24 storeys in the Quadra McKenzie Plan, despite the public making it clear that 18 storeys was far too high.

The same staff, less than a week after getting initial approval for their practically unfettered new powers over procurement, want a “town hall meeting” where the public can’t address the ­council as a unified whole.

Saanich needs fiscal responsibility, accountability, transparency, and democracy, yet we are losing all of these at an alarming rate.

Sasha Izard

Saanich

The provincial government’s decision to implement a principal-residence requirement for........

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