Quote:
Originally Posted by Regorium
The wisest course of action for all citizens would've been to kick them out 5 years ago with no compensation (arguably, northcrunk wouldn't be so cranky either cuz then his family wouldn't have bought it).
But alas, that didn't happen. This is the next best thing.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canehdianman
I think the city should have followed the law to the letter. Which would mean not offering them any compensation.
They were tenants, not landowners.
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I don't even really disagree with this. Except that the city has higher standards to maintain than those required by the letter of the law. Historically city counsil required a private landlord to fully compensate, actually over compensate people in the Dalhousie trailer park before they would allow any new development on the land that is now Dalhousie Station. More recently the city promised in writing to move the residents of midfield. And even more recently they made loud and clear verbal promises to take care of these residents even if there was no new trailer park to go to. And as an indication of this particular law's irrelevance the city has gone way farther beyond any legal requirement for eviction notice...in fact more than ten times longer than what is required by law. All of this tells me that you're missing the point. We've decided that people require compensation for their property when in sits on city owned land. And it is not just so these individuals are compensated.
The biggest reason to compensate properly is to protect all the other citizens of this city. Here is what we all have lost over this ######ed deal. No less than ten years of highest and best use property tax. Psychologist, life coach and counselor fees, on going for three years. Two security guard vehicles running 24 hrs a day for a year. Fencing and lighting. Ten years of maintenance. Social services for residents in need. Various studies and time spent in city counsil. About 150 residents who no longer live and spend money in Calgary. And without a doubt, credibility which will certainly reflect in future private contracting with the city of Calgary.
What do you think the tax bill alone is worth? 160 houses plus commercial space. My guess is a hundred million over ten years. And for exactly what? To save about 5-6 million over and above the 3-4 we've already paid these people. We've managed to make exactly no one happy. The legal victory we've achieved is an insult to the intelligence of every single person in this city.
What we've actually witnessed is exactly why city of Calgary requires higher standards than that which is offered by laws that apply well to private land holders. Our counsil members need to get votes to keep their job. They're playing good cop bad cop. They want to be the ones looking out for people and caring for every resident. But they also need to be the ones who spend wisely and keep property tax increases to a minimum. Here is a perfect example of why it's not fair to do both. You can watch Carra switch from good cop when he was trying to get elected and trying to let everyone know that he was their advocate and if you voted for him he would be your voice at city all. He'd look out for you. And bad cop now that he's elected. It's way easier to not pay these people 6 million bucks than it is to cut 6 million bucks out of a budget that couldn't possibly spare it.