LFP Moving to New Website Address

Due to new Google/Blogger requirements, LFP's website will be moving this LFP blog to http://langleyfreepress.blogspot.com/. You should be redirected there auotmatically as soon as this transition is completed in the next 24 hours. Bear with us please until we transition completely and try to iron out all the technology kinks. But rest assured - We'll be back!

Fight the HST!

Fight the HST!
INFO You Won't Find on Langley Liberal MLA Wannabee/Township Councillor Jordan Bateman's TWO other Langley Blogs!!!! Wonder Why Not? LOL!

Sign the Citizens Initiative Petition to end the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) at the following location(s):

* April 20th (Tues), Langley Seniors' Centre, 20605, 51B Avenue, 10 AM - 2 PM

* April 22nd (Thurs), West Langley Hall, Business Expo, noon - 9 PM; Bill Van der Zalm will deliver a speech at 7 PM.

* April 25th (Sun), Fernridge Hall, 1 PM - 4 PM

For more information, go to www.fighthst.com.

Richter Responds to Bateman - Langley Township Budget 2010 - Another Bateman 4.95% tax hike!

(Disclaimer - Sorry, turn up your volume on this video as once again the multi million dollar sound system did not work at Township Hall! Also stay tuned - more videos, graphs and info on tonight's budget meeting forthcoming. I just had to get this on first!)

See also Council's Dirty Little Secret? video.
See also Richter and Green's video, who each explain their reasons they were the only two on Township Council to vote NO to another annual 4.95% Tax Hike.
Also stay tuned to LFP for more Budget videos, charts, graphs and commentary coming!

Councillor Kim Richter responds to Councillor Jordan Bateman's inaccuracies and snide personal comments regarding the Township 2010 Budget. Brace yourselves: Councillor Jordan a.k.a. "I've-never-seen-a-tax-hike-I-don't-like" Bateman once again spearheaded a 4.95% tax hike! Richter sinks Bateman's political smoke screens about increases being due to full time firefighters.

In summary she held up shocking Township-provided financial summary numbers that show:

1. 2003 to 2010 a 99% increase in operating expenditures for fire, police,recreation general government, parks, storm water and transportation. $57 million in 2003 to $113 million in 2010.

2. Full time firefighters started implementation in 2006 with a budget of $6.1 million. In 2010 the fire budget is $13.1 million-an increase of $7 million of the total $46.1 million increase in the total operating budget over the same period. So she asked Bateman where did council spend the other $38 million? Certainly not the Fire department as Bateman and his other council slate pilot fish harp on constantly.

3. Utilities (water, sewer & solid waste) have increased 64% from 2006 ($15.4 million) to 2010 ($25.2 million).

4. Debt has gone from $5.7 million in 2005 to $31.1 million in 2010, representing a whopping 648% increase.

5. To cap this all off Council's salary increased in 2009 by 55% (going from $23,196 to $36,036) while the Mayor's salary went up $29,162 from $64,562 in 2008 to $93,724 in 2009 - a 45% increase!

By the way, despite the 55% salary increase that the council got and did not even bother to mention or publicize, council (including the Mayor) did not today second her motion to reduce their salaries by 4.95% (equivalent to this year's tax increase). 4.95% is a drop in this council piggy trough of a 55% increase!

Needless to say Councillor Kim Richter voted against the budget.

Budget meeting quote of the day by Cllr. Kim Richter - "Everyone of us sitting at this table,..., who got a 55% increase in salary can afford to pay these rates [tax hikes] but there are a lot of people out there in this community who did not get a 55% salary increase and they can't keep on affording to keep on paying tax increases..." Many in the audience were seen nodding their heads up and down when Richter said this!

The signs of a Narcissist (Ottawa Citizen, 20 Feb 2010, Page J2)

Do you know which narcissists YOU recently elected ? How many of the attached newspaper's criteria apply to them ? Check them off to identify your very own narcissistic Langley politicians! I count at LEAST 2 easily enough without even trying! Hint they are always lobbying hard to get their pictures often in both Langley papers! Both papers easily accommodate!

Bigger Hint, they are both males (over 95% of narcissists are always predominantly male) both are certainly politically self infatuated and ambitious and certainly also clearly dislike each other and will most certainly run against each other as mayor candidates with very ruthless and very characteristic self important and expensive vanity campaigns in the very next election!

OTTAWA CITIZEN references nine traits of narcissists
"The American Psychological Association identifies nine traits of narcissists, five of which need to be present for a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) diagnosis: ■ Feels grandiose and self-important for reasons not supported by reality ■ Obsesses with fantasies about unlimited success, fame, power or omnipotence ■ Believes he/she is unique and special and can be understood by and associate with only other unique or high-status people ■ Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation ■ Feels a sense of entitlement ■ Exploits others without guilt or remorse ■ Is devoid of empathy ■ Tends to be envious of others or believes others are envious of him/her ■ Displays arrogant and haughty behaviour."

Narcissism Primer Aid:
Inordinate fascination with oneself; Excessive self-love; Someone in love with themselves;. Vanity; A pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition; Admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes; Being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development; egotism or simple selfishness; It is sometimes used to denote elitism or an indifference to the plight of others.

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The signs

Ottawa Citizen
20 Feb 2010

The American Psychological Association identifies nine traits of narcissists, five of which need to be present for a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) diagnosis: Feels grandiose and self-important for reasons not supported by reality Obsesses...read more...

Tech Tags: Ottawa Citizen newspaper LIFE

B. C. school trustees to superintendents: We need more information (The Vancouver Sun, 16 Feb 2010, Page B3)

Wow! Read this Quote:

"Doug Player, a former superintendent in West Vancouver, said the auditor-general’s report suggests senior staff have exceptional influence because many trustees don’t understand the issues. A quarter of them said they don’t have enough time to comprehend the information provided before board meetings.

“ The system needs a significant shock — it needs refreshing,” said Player, adding that the report helps explain, for example, how a district like Langley could accumulate an $ 8.2-million deficit without trustees noticing."

Exactly! HOW can this magnitude error not have been noticed? Does this survey result now provide the Government an easy out to appoint trustees just like on Heath boards? Should they? Or are the wrong type of people just being elected? Or are the local newspapers responsible partly for not flushing out the best candidates fully for the voters at election time? Lots of questions. I do know that ANY private company's shareholders would have fired their board if a similar Langley deficit happened not to mention a preceding clean sweep off the executive administration as well.

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B. C. school trustees to superintendents: We need more information
BY JANET STEFFENHAGEN
The Vancouver Sun
16 Feb 2010

More than a third of B. C. school trustees who participated in a survey last year said they weren’t getting sufficient information from superintendents and other senior staff to make effective decisions at the board table. That concern is highlighted...read more...

Tech Tags: The Vancouver Sun newspaper CANADA & WORLD

Politicians score seats for top events before public (The Vancouver Sun, 25 Jan 2010, Page A1)

So in an earlier Vancouver Sun article before we read that BC Provincial Liberal MLAs got free Olympic tickets to go to the Olympic events. The Provincial Libs said it would only be used to accompany approved government business associates! Yeah right!

Now we hear that the feds have 1st class olympic tickets without having to wait in line. Meanwhile our whole family after 3 times trying the Olympic lottery for tons of tickets secured only one nose bleed ticket at a second rate event. Talk about featherbedding!

Are any of our local politicians going and where and how did they get their tickets or are they going with other people's or sponsors tickets? Do ANY of our local politicians get free Olympic tickets or even in my mind worse tickets that they pay for and did not have to enter the lottery for? Or did they get free or preferential tickets and maybe even worse gave it to friends, family or business associates or despicably sell them for unimaginable profits? Who is going to ask this of ALL of our municipal. school board and especially MLAs Rich Coleman, Mary Polak and MP Mark Warawa? If nobody asks its a travesty. Because you all know that if LFP asks them we will never get an answer! Come on guys, get clean and fess up.

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Politicians score seats for top events before public
BY JEFF LEE
The Vancouver Sun
25 Jan 2010

The federal government is using its access to Olympic tickets to give priority to politicians, bureaucrats and others who will get some of the best seats in the house during the Winter Games next month. Of the nearly 1,500 tickets that the government...read more...

Tech Tags: The Vancouver Sun newspaper FRONT PAGE

What Grade Does Mayor Green & His 2009 Annual Report Card Deserve?

Rookie Langley Township Mayor Rick Green earlier this evening at the Council meeting presented his long overdue past year's (2009) annual council achievement report card which is normally proudly presented as somewhat of a taxpayer's pre Xmas present listing of ALL the previous year's Township Council achievements. I don't ever remember seeing it used as a personal political platform justification attempt before. This presentation traditionally is presented by each Mayor in early to mid December and never as a short after thought. This time after almost 14 months after first being elected to office and at just 10 minutes long it was also the shortest and most unheralded one that this LFP Editor can ever remember as well. In any event watch it below in it's 10 minute entirety and evaluate it yourself.

Mayor Green's presentation seemed to have some very questionable, curious & glaring exclusions that veteran Councillor Steve Ferguson reminded the Mayor of right after the Mayor's speech which immediately eliciting comments from the Mayor like "I will take that criticism.. Clr. Ferguson.." & "I apologize...". Really? See Councillor Ferguson's 2 minute video comments just below as well and you decide.

Even Cllr. Kim Richter asked about the Mayor's speech to clarify who the Mayor's credited "WE" group was amongst one of his achievements list item that essentially was actually started by some key partisan VALTAC members for a south Fraser rail for the valley group that this rookie Mayor has almost exclusively and agaain questionably hitched his own wagon to in 2009.

This specific supposed achievement is interesting indeed in my opinion, since I don't even believe that it has actually met at all yet, never mind accomplished anything! In fact at least two or three other supposed partners PASSED on adding any representative and specifically one (Translink) even sent a letter to the Mayor asking that all reference to Translink logos be removed in the documentation & slide show that was previously being used by the Mayor and perhaps others. These presentation materials were originally used to get buy in by more community partners. But essentially did these materials perhaps imply inaccurately the full involvement & support of Translink and maybe even perhaps others? Did this perhaps help sell the other so called partners that did sign on? If so it did work somewhat though because even Langley Twnsp. council itself signed up! Needless to say, the jury is certainly still out on this so called Council/Mayor's achievement for quite a spell yet! Remember Translink itself opted out!

LFP has admittedly been absent for far too long. I apologize for this. I must admit that this Editor has been silent mainly because of the unexpected shock and great disappointment at this past year's new council leadership & direction and indeed also as a result of feeling betrayed just as I believe many others including Township taxpayers must & should also feel for very good and similar reasons. Promises simply have not materialized. This disappointing track record of leadership in the first year of this new council has spurred me on again to editorialize. Also recently at least one prominent if not more of the existing councillors public false misrepresentation of another councillor and finally simply because of the continuing and at best political pablum from all other's public opinions have again necessitated this LFP Editor's comeback. Again, my apologies for the absence and I will elaborate on all these issues as well in short time. In the mean time I have restarted the comments section and look forward to yours as well. What letter grade do YOU give the Mayor's 2009 report, the Mayor himself and this Township Council? ---LFP EDITOR---

Sonya Paterson Asks Township Council 'Six-Pack' Where are the 'Tens of Thousands'?

LFP IS BACK

We are back after an extended summer holiday and looking forward to posting lots again.

Fort Langley May Day Parade LFP-YouTube of Langley Politicians

Our LFP photographer attended the Fort Langley May Day parade and captured the following LFP/YouTube videos of parts of the parade. The first video showed some of the local politicians early on in the parade including Councillor Kim Richter and the second video shows her on the sidelines after, looking on to the continuing parade participants.

Stephany's Langley NDP Press Release Supports Mayor Green's Protection Of Passenger Rail Corridor Through Langley

Township Mayor Rick Green at Monday's council meeting informed his Council of:

"Today, May 4,2009, I am providing Council with the following information relating to the history and protection of our old Interurban Passenger and freight Rail Corridor through the Township and City of Langley."

He further told Council:

"This agreement expires on August 29,2009. Therefore, in order to preserve the rights of BC Hydro and the public I am requesting the support of the Township Council to send a letter to B.C. Hydro requesting their immediate response and assurance that they will renew the Agreement in question prior to August 29,2009."

KUDOS especially to Mayor Rick Green and his Council for supporting their Mayor and endorsing his request on Monday's council meeting to renew the agreement to protect the old Interurban Passenger Rail agreement through the Langley's!

After asking the local MLA election candidates for their support too: "We are asking for your public support of the Master Agreement's renewal...", the local Langley NDP issued the below Press Release on the topic today to the media which also included LFP, and LFP did not receive any other local candidates' or political parties responses to date:

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
May 6, 2009

NDP WILL PRESERVE RAIL AGREEMENT

Langley – Yesterday Mayor Rick Green and his council released a memorandum referring to the ‘long lost’ Master Agreement, which not only defines some land use arrangements between the Province, Municipality and the Railway, but also ensured 33% of the traffic on the line for crown use. In exchange, the CPR is allowed to build rails and use 66% of the rail capacity on the provincially owned land.

“Gordon Campbell has made a mess of transit in the Lower Mainland,” said Stephany. “The BC Liberal plan is an unfunded wish list. It won’t get more people out of their cars, won’t make transit more convenient and it won’t make transit more affordable.”

The NDP will stand behind planning for a comprehensive light rail transit system serving the South Fraser region. It will be closely integrated with the bus and SkyTrain systems. The plan will review options including the interurban passenger rail route.

“Because we stand for a comprehensive light rail transit system for the South Fraser region, we will be very interested in any options that become available to us, including crown use of the interurban corridor and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) rails through Langley,” said Stephany.

In a letter to Kathleen Stephany, Mayor Rick Green asks for the support of the NDP for the renewal of the Master Agreement, set to expire this August. He also requests Stephany's commitment to light passenger rail.

In fact, the only thing that has ever held back the West Coast Express is the fact that the wheelage must be leased from the railway. The Master Agreement allows the province to run of a huge amount of trains on the CPR line at no cost.

“We already own the rails through the remainder of the interurban corridor. This is the first step to establishing an effective, reliable, and cost-efficient community rail service,” added Stephany. “The NDP will definitely extend the agreement with CP.”

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Media Contact: Piotr Majkowski 604-533-3222...

Fort Langley/Aldergrove May 5 Election Debate LFP/YouTube Video Excerpts- Jordan Braun (BC Refed) Takes On Lib MLA Rich Coleman

Gail Chaddock-Costello (NDP), Travis Erbacher (Green), Rich Coleman (BC LIB) and Jordan Braun (BC Refederation Party) at the Township Hall theatre chambers last night was the best debate to date. Mr. Braun drew the most gasps and laughter from the attending audience to some obvious chagrin of MLA Coleman who right after the meeting had immediate words with Mr. Braun, the very first competing candidate that Mr. Coleman talked to immediately after the debate ended.

Fascinating details and videos continually uploading now. Having reviewed most of the videos the political neophyte, Jordan Braun definitely demonstrated his potential as a budding politician! The recommended videos to watch are so noted below!

May 5th Fort Langley/Aldergrove BC Election Debate
LFP-YouTube Videos -
Braun (BC Refederation Party), Chaddock-Costello (NDP), Coleman (BC LIB), Erbacher (Green),

Re: Carbon Tax - (4:47 minutes long) - Recommend
Re: Transportation - (4:19 minutes long)
Re: Beer Tax! - (2:32 minutes long) - Recommend
Re: Groundwater - (3:24 minutes long) - Recommend
Re: Crime - (4:29 minutes long)
Re: Homelessness - (3:44 minutes long)
Re: 2 Tier Medicine - (3:51 minutes long)
Re: Minumum Wage - (3:52 minutes long)
Re: Economy - (3:52 minutes long) Recommend
Re: STV - (2:53 minutes long)
Re: Cost Overuns - (4:15 minutes long)