Guildford - The Editor, Re: "A political trifecta for Surrey?," Now letters, Oct. 21.
The idea that a Surrey First win in this election creates a perfectly-synchronized "political trifecta" is flawed. Why should (future MP) Watts accomplish any less if Barinder Rasode were elected mayor? No official should be more or less motivated by their political ties in working to make this city a better place.
Surrey First claims their candidates worked hard as councillors - but the truth is, a lot of citizen advocacy has been needed to keep Surrey on the right track. I had to fight tooth and nail to get a now-popular rapid-bus stop built in Guildford. Citizens needed to show up by the hundreds to raise or overturn issues like the South Surrey casino, rising crime rate and a questionable economic summit. Under good leadership, we wouldn't have to worry about these things. We could live our lives productively.
But, the Surrey First slate and Linda Hepner haven't put forward productive ideas. Anyone keeping track of Hepner's short-sighted thinking should notice it in more than just the suggestion that we invest money needed by neglected communities into a waterfront community with a ferris wheel.
Her light-rail proposal doesn't improve travel times, has a poor business case and restricts further transit improvements. Her suggestion, in a recent interview, that encouraging population growth and development can raise revenue toward increased police numbers is ironic, because that growth is precisely why we need more police.
I remember a more exciting time, before the last time we voted in 2011, when Newton had a town centre revitalization plan. Any and all talk of that has since disappeared, and the results of that neglect are becoming clear.
We could re-elect Surrey First, or we could elect a mayor and council that actually puts Surrey first, isn't out of touch with its citizens and will outperform any imaginary "political trifecta."
Daryl Dela Cruz
Guildford
(Editor's note: Daryl Dela Cruz is the son of Narima Dela Cruz, a council candidate with the One Surrey slate)