Lantzville Provides The New Mayor of Nanaimo

I submitted the following 'Letter to the Editor' of the Nanaimo Daily News (Canwest/Global newspapers) on Nov. 24/08. As with most of my letters, and especially anything that might be critical of them, time will tell if they publish it. If they don't, consider it just one more reason to support independent media when obtaining real news that is important to you.

Dear Editor,
So Nanaimo's Mayor-elect lives in Lantzville (Ruttan must live up to promises he made, Nanaimo Daily News, Nov. 17/08) - well, get over it! It's not like Lantzville hasn't been very good to Nanaimo over the years. Let's make a list, shall we:
- Nanaimo gained 3 large properties (and the commercial taxes they generate) from Lantzville, even receiving $100,000 for 'good works' from one of the benefiting developers
- Nanaimo received $200,000 from Lantzville for their Conference Centre in exchange for agreeing to provide emergency water
- Nanaimo received $96,000 over the past 11 years from Lantzville in support of the Port Theatre, the only other municipality to do so
- Nanaimo uses Lantzville land for their northern 'Welcome to Nanaimo' signage
Although your paper has been very vocal all along with the fact that John does not live in Nanaimo (while not going out of your way to make it clear that he is a business/property owner/taxpayer in the city), I'd be far more concerned about one household having more than one vote on a Council or Board such as Donna and Nelson Allen on SD68 School Board, Diane and Jamie Brennan on Nanaimo Council and SD68 School Board, respectively, Colin and Denise Haime on Lantzville Council and Sue, Greg and Evelina Halsey-Brandt on Richmond Council. In your view, it seems that a person's place of domicile is more important than fair and broad representation.