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Bateman's Folly roasted today in the Langley Times including by his hero Mayor Alberts who says Batemans Folly will have to be reconsidered.Gotta feel sorry for Bateman he got snookered by Langley City Slickers. http://langleytimes.com/portals-...id=753620&
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Can't help but notice Bateman's Langley Politics covers everything else in the world except the Province article,Martin's letter to Carole Taylor and his colossal misstep on this which I agree just cozies up to Fassbender's City. The City and Casino should be spending this money,not Township! They can surely afford it.
Hi Ed,
Why isn't there a mention in your post of the good reports from Surrey, Abbotsford and Chilliwack's Tourism drives? The Province story is a good article and worth covering but, your spin is a bit backward isn't it?
OK, the people quoted are the "Tourism Directors" the same people that Bateman's Tourism initiative will hire in Langley for probably >$75,000 annual salary! So do you really think these bureaucrats would say anything negative and risk their jobs? Read between the lines. Also how often lately, if ever, has it crossed your mind to go to Chilliwack, Abbotsford or Surrey to be a tourist as a result of their so-called successful "Tourism Director" local initiatives? And regarding my being angry..why aren't you angry at increasing taxes and the ever increasing stupidity of our politicians? Face it, Councillor Jordan Bateman got snowed by Langley City et al. Only Mayor Alberts, Cllr. Richter and Cllr. Ferguson were smart enough to see and avoid this trap. When you think of it, it doesn't speak very well of the other Councillors who got snowed along with Bateman. Thanks for your observations (and I'll try to be less angry).
Hi Ed,
Thanks for your reply.
I think that the numbers speak for themselves, unless you are suspicious of that too.
I've got family and friends up and down the valley so, I don't feel like much of a tourist at home but I do confess that when I go to the Fort, I feel like a tourist! ' Don't know why but I do.
I like the Surrey radio station that promotes "The City of Parks" to American motorists coming from the border. I've always liked the billboard outside Chilliwack that gave me the mayor's phone number. I do prefer shopping in Abbotsford to Vancouver.
This is the best place in the world for me and I'm OK with promoting it even if advertising costs me. I think that it's good for business and the economy.
Dear Ed:
Get your facts straight....the tourism plan will in fact cost the folks of Langley less than previoulsy. It is tax dollars being spent to support the Chamber now and the plan is to spend less on the Tourism plan than was previoulsy spent on the Chamber.....saving money me thinks! The tax is not on the people of Langley at all, it is the visitors. I guess Wally's costs are a maximum of $8.00 a night which is obvioulsy far to much. Until you get the facts straight maybe you should take the winter off and come back refreshed and informed.
So what about the $450k cost and the estimated $150k revenue quoted in the Province article. If this is correct, where is the shortfall to come from? Probably magic...in other words taxpayers perhaps! And if Wally is correct why are the majority of the Hotels in Langley against it? Something isn't right. When the $3-4-5 million grandstand (search MAP Grandstand on this site) went way over budget I remember then Parks & Rec Director Holden saying they were hoping to get private sponsorship monies in for the shortfall! Did it? Nope, not that I ever heard of! Maybe the same mysterious yet undetermined sources of potential monies will also materialize & then also evaporate for the Tourism fiasco shortfalls! 
I say no to this tax. I may never pay a cent of it by staying in a local hotel, but the cost of collecting it, as it will be collected by Victoria, then sent back to the Township, will be more than it is worth. Besides, $150,000 does not add up to $450,000, even if there was no cost to handling this tax before it came back to the township. That leads me to believe that I am on the hook for the difference. Plus... once a tax is in place, it usually gets raised. How long before it hits 7 percent?
If we want to encourage people to visit Langley (both) let's get some great things happening here that draw them in. Big events, popular sites and the subsequent word of mouth will do far more than this tax ever will. That's my 2 cents worth, or in this case 2 percents worth.
Murray, finally a reasonable voice of logic and common sense, thank you.
What and who is on the hook for the next move on this issue LFP?
Well at least they can have the curators respond to calls as well!!! This council just does get it. There only hope for money for the pet projects is tax and growth. How needs fiscal restraint when I can just dig deeper into your pocket...hands in my pocket hands in my pocket.
Hands in your pocket? Do you mean Township council are like the big Canadian Banks? What a concept!
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