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Stop the Local Improvement Aci This letter is about the City of Waterloo‘s Local Improveâ€" ment question. Should Waterâ€" loo property owners pay for road and sidewalk repairs the old way in which everyone pays approximately $17 more in taxes each year or should we pay according to the Local Improvement Act as we have been doing since the eatrly 1990s with each property owner in the vicinity of the repairs puiting out about $2,500 plus interest once every 30 or 40 years? Mathâ€"phobes, I have to tell you, this question is easier than you think. You just have to break it down into its compoâ€" nent parts â€" 1) Under the old system: For how long would vou {and your LETTERS T0 THE EDiTOR descendants) have to pay approximately $17 per year before it would add up to the $2,500 you‘d pay under the Local Improvement Act Answer: 147 vears. 2) Under the Local improveâ€" ment Act: In the same span of time â€" 147 years â€" how many times would you or your property likely be hit for $2,500, and bow much in total would you pay? Answer: Three or four umes; $10,000 to $12,000, not including interâ€" est. 3) How can the city afford to offer the old system in which property owners only have to pay $2,500 once every 147 years when, under the Local Improvement Act, the average costs per owner in any given Hats off to Steve Wagner Hats off to Steve Wagner! There should be more people like him, more of us need to monitor our speed when driâ€" ving through residential areas, especially now since school has started. I have two young children who walk to school on their own and whenever I hear the screech of tires in the distance, my heart skips a beat. Motorists have to realize that by speeding, they are putting yillZore! â€" K/W‘s Exclusive Dealer for DEVINI & MARIN Bicycles â€" Quality Service & Sales to ALL makes of Bikes â€" A Good Selection of QuclitY Snowboards & Equipment Arriving SOON!!! * MENTION THIS AD & RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF * eWIR SPRECHEN DEUTSCH® _ 0 VICTORIA ST. N., KITCHENER â€" ACROSS FROM BINGEMAN‘S **~sEonrs 5 7 1 â€" 1 6 0 0 neighborhood amount to around $10,000 or $12,000 over the same period of time? Answer: Under the old system everybody pays â€" residential owners, business owners, etc. Under the Local improvement Act, 1 am told by the City of Waterloo finance department, the key word is "residential" Businesses and other instituâ€" tions do not pay (and do not get local improvement?) Instead, residenual owners are hit periodically for a great deal more in order to balance the hooks. 4) How much do shortâ€"term property owners pay under the old versus the Local Improveâ€" ment systems? Answer: Under the Local Improvement Act â€" if they‘re lucky they might be nat anly their own lives in danâ€" ger, but the lives of many innoâ€" cent pedestrians, including their own children. Many local traffic accidents involve speedâ€" ing motonists, and a lot of these drivers are young. 1 honestly think that‘s where some of the problems begin. 1 hope that driver education programs are making drivers aware early in their driving "career" of these speeding 4 Saues & Seevice * Bicvrcirs * Snowsoaros 4 AccessorEs START Aa Batcu in Waterloo 10 to 20 years and never get hit; unlucky and the; get the Welcome Wagon Sur _ Under the old system it‘s no so bad; in 10 years they‘ll p« $170; in 20 years, $340. Disclaimer: No allowanc. was made in these advance; calculations for inflation, deflu tions, rain, sleet, or hail. 1 als admit to not using the Intern« in my research Please answer "yes" on th questionnatre to stop the use c the Local Improvement Act PS One more question: How did anyone manage to ge property owners to accept the Local Improvement Act the first time around? issues, especially with the number of "Road Rage" inciâ€" dents increasing. Steve Wagner‘s sign was an excellent idea and I‘m glad 10 see it affecting motonists in his neighborhood. Keep up the good work We love all the local news because we love living in Waterloo. It has to be one of the best places in Canada to live. Dear Chronicle Staff: We think the Chronicle is a great paper â€" keep up the good work. FINE AUTOMOBILE BODY AND PAINT Meticulous Restoration Original Paint Finishes Unsurpassed Collision Repair FINE AUTO INC 15 Centennial Dr. Kitchener 578â€"2052 Specializing in BMW PORSCHE JAGUAR Mercedes Benz Dealer Authornized MLich Mbhich Thanks very much, Mary Kipfer, Waterloo Shelley Mower Waterloo Alice Croft, Waterlaa