Letters, Nov. 21, 2019: Small businesses negatively impacted by recent huge property tax hikes
Credit to Author: Carolyn Soltau| Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2019 18:21:25 +0000
I am writing in response to Dan Fumano’s article regarding small businesses affected by property tax hikes.
Hager Books is a perfect example of a small business with a Triple Net Lease (which includes paying property taxes) negatively impacted by recent huge property tax hikes.
We occupy an old single-storey building of only 1,000 square feet and yet are expected to pay as if for four storeys. The shop has been operating in the village of Kerrisdale for 45 years. South Granville, Dunbar, West 10th on the west side and across the city have been impacted by these tax hikes resulting in empty, boarded stores.
We would like to add our name to the growing number of businesses that find themselves in this dire situation.
Andrea Davies, Hager Books Ltd, Vancouver
Hager Books has been operating in Kerrisdale for 45 years.
I am writing a letter in response to Jerry Steinberg, who had written a letter to the editor in The Vancouver Sun on Nov. 6. Steinberg strongly believes if the “deposit prices on beverage containers” were increased, people would be less likely to “throw the bottles and cans on our beaches, parks, and roads.”
I strongly disagree because many people aren’t bothered to go through the process of having to take bottles to the Return-It Depot. The reason being, it is a time-consuming process. Some people will argue their time is more valuable than standing and waiting in line to get maybe $10, or so. Depending on the Return-It Depot, you may even have to sort your own bottles, which many people aren’t too fond of.
This is why they end up on the road or just in their household recycling bin, where they aren’t being properly recycled. The people who were never bothered to return these containers are going to continue to not be bothered to take their refundable containers to the bottle depot as they strongly believe their time is still more valuable than a “container worth $1.”
The prices for refunds will have to be greatly increased for people to find it more worth their time but in the meantime. Return-It Depots may see an increase in profitable returns if they made the process more time-efficient. Having a simple strategy towards the process itself could have a positive impact on the amount returned.
However, this is a huge financial cost that all Return-It Depot would have to implement and is not projected for the near future. Though there are strategies to create positive changes to see increases in return, it is difficult to implement all of them into the routines of busy individuals and families.
Mckenna Milos-Johnson, Surrey
Canadians have become spastic. Some think Don Cherry is bombastic; others think he’s just enthusiastic. Let’s face it, he isn’t scholastic and his suits aren’t monastic. Many say his firing was drastic, and others say it was fantastic.
Lloyd Atkins, Vernon
How lovely to pick up the paper from my front porch and the front page actually made me smile. Such a refreshing change. Referring to the lovely sisters, Roan and Senna ready for Halloween. Thank you.
Louise Baker, North Vancouver
After watching the video of a very inappropriate angry woman berating the Shoppers Drug Mart employee, my heart actually went out to the child in her presence. His face should have been blanked out before posting his picture all over the news.
Her antics are completely unacceptable but the child needs privacy protection. Maybe social services should check in on him. What happens in public may probably be even worse at home. Thanks to media, now people may recognize him in this situation that is very damaging and embarrassing to a child.
No one deserves to be treated like the employees were, or witness to such disrespectful and inconsiderate behaviour. I hope all involved are given the emotional support needed after this event.
Cindy Hite, Anmore
Letters to the editor should be sent to sunletters@vancouversun.com.
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