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Hometown bouts
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This weekend’s B.C. Silver Gloves Boxing Championships at the Richmond Sports Club will include a couple of local fighters making their 21 amateur debuts.
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Tax cut bid beaten down
Santa sails into town
Majority of city council stand by near 3 per cent property tax hike BY ALAN CAMPBELL
acampbell@richmond-news.com
A bid to slice one per cent off next year’s property tax increase was quashed by Richmond City Council Monday evening. Coun. Bill McNulty, backed by fellow councillors Ken Johnston and Derek Dang, argued that shaving the single point down from a 2.96 per cent rise would be a token gesture and would acknowledge the financial strain being felt by the taxpayers. The rest of council, however, stood firm, adding the one per cent in question — which was recommended by staff to go into the city’s reserves — is vital to help the city continue to deal with future infrastructure replacement. “We’re not giving the taxpayer a break at all,” said McNulty. “Their salaries have not gone up for years; people’s incomes are frozen and there are other sources out there that can go into — Coun. Bill the reserves. McNulty “Staff have spent about 10 pages (in the report) telling us how difficult the economy is, and we should think about that for the taxpayer.” People across Richmond are facing no wage increases, lay-offs and cutbacks, according to Johnston. “One per cent is not the end of the world, and I’d like to send a message; call it a ‘reserve holiday’ if you like. “People’s hydro, sewer, everything is shooting up; the taxpayer is getting pounded. We’re not going to save everybody’s life with this, but it’s time to put some reins on it.” Dang chimed in on the same note, saying the city in previous years has been “prudent in making sure money has been going into the reserves.” see Brodie page 4
“We’re not giving the taxpayer a break at all.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NANCY JOSLAND DALSIN
The big man himself, Santa Claus, made an entrance, Steveston-style, on Sunday, courtesy of the ceremonial Steveston Lifeboat. To the cheers of hundreds of excited children, Santa then went for a wander on the boardwalk at Steveston Harbour as part of the village’s festive celebrations.
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