Editor:
I am a proud homeowner and I am blessed to live in a neighborhood with many like-minded people.
We are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the Lower Mainland, and yet it pains me to see the state of many homes in the South Surrey/White Rock area. I am sick of seeing foot-long grass, newspapers blowing aimlessly on front porches, zero maintenance done in gardens, not to mention Christmas lights and decorations still up in July.
We have a big empty-home issue, and we have turned a blind eye to it.
If there was ever a time for Mayor Linda Hepner and the City of Surrey to implement an Empty Home Tax, it is now.
We in Surrey sit back and watch the City of Vancouver collect $30 million from this tax, and we are still doing ‘studies’!
We have a vacancy rate at or near zero, and we sit and do nothing. What are we waiting for?
Vancouver taxes one per cent on the value of the vacant property. Linda, you could go higher than this if you wanted.
What could you use the money for? Social housing – check. Want more RCMP? How about your own police force? Gang violence? I am sure we could all come up with something.
Come on, Linda, get a mitt and get in the game!
Douglas Saunders, Surrey