Dear Mr Harvie & Mayor Jackson:
I am writing to ask you to reconsider your position on not recommending a public opinion poll/referendum question regarding the Southlands at the upcoming municipal by-election. Tsawwassen is facing one of the most important issues in years and the gathering of public opinion is crucial in determining the future of this community. A simple yes/no question added to the ballot; “Do you support maintaining the agricultural designation of the Southlands?” would ensure all citizens have an opportunity to be heard. While I understand the results of such a question would not be binding to Council, it would provide invaluable information to gauge public sentiment on this issue.
Being a coordinator of a citizen-organized, grass-roots organization created to ensure the development of the new Tsawwassen Area Plan (TAP) is performed in a fair and transparent manner, I have personally received hundreds of communications supporting this request. I want to make you aware that a public opinion poll WILL be held on this issue – the only question is whether it is endorsed and run by Council, or is a citizen-based plebiscite.
Your choice is to either perform your civic duty by adding this question to the by-election, or allow the financial burden of a plebiscite to fall upon the constituents you represent. I implore you to make the correct decision so that history does not repeat itself with respect to the Southlands.
I have yet to hear a valid reason for your reluctance to ensure this initiative. While I realize timelines are always a concern, the decision facing the TAP Committee and Council will affect, either positively or negatively, all future generations to come. Certainly a few months of delay is worth assisting this difficult process and is a small price to pay for democracy.
The public WILL be heard; your decision is only whether you wish to listen.
Respectfully submitted,
Dana Maslovat
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