Wolf Pack tamed by Devils
Civic election candidates unveiled pages 15-16
page 30
Tuesday October 18, 2011 Serving Surrey and North Delta www.surreyleader.com
Police prepare for Bush visit 104 Avenue near 152 Street likely closed as crowd expected by Kevin Diakiw A LARGE CROWD of protesters is expected to greet former U.S. president
Fire chief for a day
EVAN SEAL / THE LEADER
Sunshine Hills Elementary Grade 5 student Nicholas Haydar, here with Delta firefighters, is this year’s Delta Fire Department Fire Chief For a Day – an annual honour awarded to a Delta elementary student.
Few civic politicians sign tax-control pledges
George W. Bush in Surrey Thursday as he prepares to address the city’s annual economic conference. RCMP are anticipating hundreds of protesters and say 104 Avenue near 152 Street will likely be shut down to accommodate the crowd. Surrey RCMP Cpl. Drew Grainger said this year’s Surrey Regional Economic Summit has drawn extra attention because of public reaction to Bush – much of it negative. “We’ve had to develop a robust and very structured operational plan to address some of the potential issues with that,” Grainger said, noting the city has arranged to have an area for people to peacefully demonstrate, as allowed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That area has not yet been made public, but will be announced closer to the event. Police are closely watching a protest that began this weekend called “Occupy Vancouver,” which is modelled after Occupy Wall Street, where people in the U.S. are protesting the economy by camping out in the financial district of New York. Occupy Vancouver has so far been a peaceful event. See BUSH / Page 4
Many costs are beyond cities’ control, Surrey says by Jeff Nagel GROUPS PRESSURING Metro Vancouver politicians
to sign pledges or contracts promising to rein in their rising tax rates are getting few takers so far. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) wants B.C. mayors and councillors to sign a “taxpayer pledge” to hold operating expense growth down to the combined increase in population and inflation, and narrow the gap between property tax rates for businesses and homeowners. But just 14 incumbents running for re-election in November have so far signed the pledge since it was launched in late September.
“We’re seeing a lot of hesitation,” said CFIB director Shachi Kurl, adding some candidates initially said they’d sign but later got cold feet. “In many cities, they’re not actually facing any strong challengers,” she added. No Metro mayors have made such a commitment, nor have most incumbent councillors. Some of those who won’t sign say it’s difficult to predict what financial challenges await future councils and it would be unwise to fetter those decisions. “Please be serious,” said Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt, who ridiculed the pledge as “absurd” in light of rising costs forced down to cities by senior governments.
Former U.S. president George W. Bush is scheduled to speak at the Surrey Regional Economic Summit on Thursday.
See TAX BILLS / Page 4
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