Saturna Island Property Owners Association
P. O. Box 27, Saturna, British Columbia, V0N 2Y0
SIPOA@saturnacan.net

August 23, 2011

Elizabeth May, MP
Saanich and the Islands
House of Commons
Ottawa K1A 0A6

Dear Elizabeth

Re: Payment in lieu of Taxes: Saturna Island and the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

It is such a delight to be able to write you in your new capacity, Elizabeth: sincere congratulations!

You may recall that at an annual meeting of the Saturna Island Property Owners Association (SIPOA) that you were good enough to address perhaps a year or so ago, you heard about and spoke briefly about the controversy involving payments in lieu of taxes. As you know, there is a federal statute by this name. We are having great difficulty in getting the federal government to pay its fair share of taxes resulting from the creation of the National Park reserve on the Gulf Islands - and, in particular, on Saturna Island.

Tom Johnstone, a former head of the BC Assessment Authority, just last week advised that the Dispute Advisory Panel, chaired by Mr. Doug Rundell, a gentleman appointed by your predecessor and who resides in your riding, had appointed an independent research officer from Vancouver to review the valuation of National Parks lands on the Gulf Islands. Unfortunately the expertise of the BC Assessment Authority is being ignored. It is also unfortunate that the individual chosen does not have valuation expertise.

Nevertheless we understand that this work is now underway and SIPOA will await the report before deciding what further actions may be required.

My reason for writing is to ask you to assist SIPOA in advancing our position with respect to fair compensation for park lands, to monitor this issue and to obtain a copy of the report when it is finalized.

We would be pleased to elaborate if you or your assistant wishes to contact us.

All the best
 

Murray Rankin