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GIVING
Have a warm coat to share? By Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
The B.C. SPCA Thrift Store is helping to make the cold weather more bearable for folks in need. For the past 22 years, Roni-Lyn Sanders has been organizing a coat drive every December.The thrift store’s owner collects coats each November and, with the help of volunteers, takes them to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and gives them out to those in need, including people living on the streets. “We start collecting the coats Nov. 1. We need warm winter coats. If people have waterproof coats, it’s great because they usually live outside,” she said. “Extra-large is really good – it’s usually a hit and it’s hard to find.Warm and waterproof is an added bonus. Obviously we aren’t going to be picky.” Before heading out to disperse the coats, Sanders and a team of volunteers sort them into sizes and colours and put them on racks, where people can browse and pick out a suitable coat.The Penske truck rental company supports the coat drive by helping to store and transport the donations. “Last year, it was the biggest ever,” Continued on page 10
SHARING THE WARMTH Roni-Lyn Sanders, owner of the B.C. SPCA Thrift Store, left, and coat drive volunteer Colleen Nicholson. They’re organizing a collection of warm winter coats to be distributed to people in need on the Downtown Eastside. Coats can be dropped off at the thrift store at 615 12th St. during business hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER
BUDGET IN PROCESS
City eyeing 2.98 per cent tax increase By Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
The City of New Westminster’s draft financial plan includes a 2.98 per cent tax hike in 2017. City staff recently pre-
sented an overview of the 2017 to 2021 draft financial plan to council. “We are still at the preliminary stage at the budget process, but we have actually moved the budget process up earlier this year.
We are hoping to get final approval in that February time frame,” said Mayor Jonathan Cote. “Although that (2.98 per cent) budget number isn’t set in stone and we are going to be working our way through
that process, it gives you a rough guide of what we are looking at given some of the demands that we are dealing with in this budget cycle.” Cote said the city has moved up its budget cycle
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May time frame.We were one of the later municipalities. A lot of other municipalities, even December, January are approving their budget,” Cote said. “I think we have learned there are Continued on page 10
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