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Letter: Underpass not city’s greatest need

A vote to support the underpass will lock Salmon Arm into annual payments of $323,000 for the next 30 years.
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A vote to support the underpass will lock Salmon Arm into annual payments of $323,000 for the next 30 years.

By the time the debt is paid, the original loan of $5.3 million will have ballooned to almost $10 million at current interest rates.

What important priorities might be shelved in order to keep those payments going?

What about planning for the risks of flooding after storm events and in the spring, or for reducing forest fire risk in the community?

These are both extremely serious, and costly, safety issues.

Everything comes with a price tag.

By choosing the underpass, what are we saying “no” to?

Are we saying “no” to helping with a performing arts centre, or stimulating affordable housing?

Neither of these are included in the city’s long-range strategic capital plan.

The underpass is not our highest priority.

My vote will be “No” in the referendum.

Sarah Weaver


@SalmonArm
newsroom@saobserver.net

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