TOO THIN TO BEAR WASHING

GE&P attended the BC Council Committee meetings last night. If anyone needed an explanation as to why Mr. Davis insisted on changing Council Rules and abolishing the Committees of the Whole, these proceedings provided all the information needed.

Mr. Davis officially got the ball rolling on his Dan Davis Health and Human Services Campus last night. All of his supporting cast were there armed with documents to justify the purchase of the old fairground property for this project. He plans to spend $1.6 Million, $100,000 an acre, for this property. All supporting evidence was positive toward the purchase until you actually look at the facts.

Mr. Dennis Fish, one of the four Conservatives on Council, asked if an appraisal of this property had been done. Ms. Ewing and Ms. Smith said it had. Mr. Fish asked specific questions about the appraisal, "When was it done, how was it done, and could he see a copy of the document?"

Then the County Assessor came forward to provide the details of the appraisal. He confirmed the appraisal had been provided by the SELLER. He said he had dealt with the appraiser in the past and was happy with his work. But, GE&P noticed a few discrepancies with the Assessor's details. First and foremost, the "comparables" noted in the appraisal were not properties that have been "sold". They are properties that are "on the market". As we all know, "asking price" does not denote actual property values. One can ask any price one wants but that doesn't mean that price is valid or will be met.

GE&P did not notice Mr. Fish being provided with a copy of this document.

Mr. Fish asked for an explanation about the actual ownership of this property. In his question he, also, wanted an explanation of the tax records on this tract. The tax records show the Agricultural Expo, owned by Mr. Ben Flemming, not the American Legion, as being the owner of the tract. The records show 4 reassessments DOWN of the tax burden on this property in 2010. The sale history of this property on the BC records ends with a 1978 transfer of title. These are a few of the existing facts that bear further explanation. Unfortunately, none of these questions were satisfactorily answered last night.

Mr. Fish asked if Mr. Davis had investigated any other properties. Mr. Davis said, "No". Mr. Fish went on to suggest another property that has been offered "at a much reduced price". Mr Davis defended his selection of the fairgrounds property because he needed a property that would be on the public bus line. This argument is not valid as the "other, cheaper" property is, also, on the public bus line.

As more supporting evidence for this purchase being a good idea, Mr. Davis pointed out that, after moving the health department out of the old hospital property, he planned to refurbish that building to house extra courtroom space to alleviate the strain on the main courthouse. He neglected to mention that there is underutilized courtroom space at the sheriff's department building. This fact was addressed at a Council meeting early last year.

Mr. Davis could not, or would not, give the total price of his "Campus" project or the source of the funding to pay for it. It just so happens that GE&P knows the answer to both questions. According to the official BC Local Option Sales Tax Capital Improvements List, the Dan Davis Health and Human Services Campus will cost the taxpayers a minimum of $22 Million and will be funded with a combination of the 2010 $10 Million bond and the 29% from our LOST property tax relief. We all remember this 29%. This is our property tax relief that was stolen three years ago under the pretext that BC would go bankrupt without it. Now that Mr. Davis has his hands on our money in a more permanent fashion, he can spend it as he chooses.

It was rather obvious to GE&P that not many of the onlookers in attendance last night were fooled by the proceedings. From the comments we overheard, everything was as clear as glass to all. From start to finish, this deal is, at the very least, questionable. At worst, it reeks of government corruption. Anyone who has watched an expert at the old shell game knows how it works. The object is to keep the shells moving so fast and in so many directions that nobody knows exactly where the pea is located. In this situation, the pea is your tax dollars.