WL Arts Council + CRD Bylaw #4420 (A Bylaw to establish a Arts and Culture Function in the Central Cariboo)

In today's WL Tribune, there is a letter from Harry Jennings (President - WL Arts Council) advising residents' about consultation in September re: CRD Bylaw #4420 (Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Service Establishment Bylaw). This is the same group that requested the Central Cariboo Joint Committee to consider establishing this Function.

As I have stated before, Arts and Culture does have a place in our society and it was reported yesterday from a recent Conference Board of Canada report that Arts and Culture, nation wide, was responsible for $84.5 Billion in economic activity.

However, as the old saying goes "The ends can never justify the means"

I'm not saying that establishing a Function shouldn't be considered, but however there needs to be a process to ensuring residents' are consulted early and often to ensure that they (the taxpayers') are completely on-side before the tax comes into being. That means after a request, from voters/groups', comes to either a Area Director(s) or to the Central Cariboo Joint Committee, then the Director(s) needs to raise the subject at the next available Town Hall before a Function establishment Bylaw is granted 3 readings by the Regional Board. This way, residents' can have their say as whether or not they wish to pay for this new Function and what their property taxes will look like overall. Residents' should not have to read about new Functions in the local media, but really, as a matter of leadership, should hear about new Functions from their elected representative directly. Because residents' priorities, may or may not, include supporting local arts and culture from their property taxes. Let's always ask residents', first, if they are willing to pay for a new Function before we proceed to the next step, which is 3 readings of a Function Establishment Bylaw so residents' don't get upset as to why they weren't asked first if they were willing to pay for a new Function, because at the end of the day, Area Director(s) should never impose their views/wishes on their local taxpayers'