Dear Editor,
Re: “Voter turnout dips down to 25%,” News, Oct. 20
Congratulations to all the winners and the “also rans” in last week’s municipal elections.
It irks me, however, that the incumbents have a huge advantage over those candidates who don’t hold office.
With 45 candidates on the ballot box, many citizens vote for names they recognize. Incumbents generally don’t have to work as hard to get their name and message out.
Of the 16 candidates elected, all seven mayor and councillor incumbents and four out of five trustee incumbents who ran were re-elected.
Some of our re-elected incumbents are making municipal politics a life-long career.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie has been in office for 24 years and Coun. Bill McNulty has been in office for 27 years.
Kash Heed, who was elected for the first time to council, has been very vocal that you should not be on council for 24 years.
Such a system leads to inertia and complacency.
He would advocate a policy of two terms maximum as mayor and three terms maximum on council.
An example of council complacency is the urgent issue of affordable housing and rentals.
Ninety-two per cent of what Richmond has been building is for condos and homeowners.
And when you check Richmond prices, you realize that most are anything but affordable for the average worker.
Only two per cent of Richmond’s housing are co-ops and social housing.
And only six per cent are market rentals.
Yet everyone running for council insists they are for affordable housing.
We shall see in four years’ time. Don’t hold your breath!
It’s time that we limit the length of terms of office for our city politicians and give some new blood a chance to meet the pressing needs.
Eric Hanson
RICHMOND
