A large group of residents from the rural area of La Broquerie attended council to discuss road conditions and municipal taxes at Wednesday evening’s council meeting.
This was the third council meeting in a row that a group of rural residents attended to voice their concerns on the matter.
The first opportunity for residents to have their say was at a public hearing for the 2024 Financial Plan was held on February 28. There were no comments made at the public hearing for or against the approval of the financial plan proposed.
La Broquerie council gave third reading to their finalized 2024 financial plan at their meeting on March 27.
The first council meeting a group of residents attended to share their thoughts on this matter was on April 24.
Residents Rudy Friesen and Melissa Giesbrecht spoke with council on Wednesday as part of the latest delegation.
Friesen says he, along with many other families in the area, cannot afford a 9.4 per cent tax increase.
“There are a lot of young families in this community and they are struggling to put food on the table. I cannot afford to stay here, and yet I am stuck because anyone that comes to my house is going to say, ‘I’m not paying those taxes.’”
Giesbrecht says the road repairs that the municipality attempts just wash away, and her son’s school bus driver is threatening not to come down their road anymore.
“I think it’s pretty fair to say that anyone who moves out into the rural aspect of a community knows that they are going to be giving up certain luxuries, I think that's a fair statement. The reality is though, that the rural residents in this community are paying a ridiculous amount not to have any of those services.”
Rural residents of La Broquerie have attended the last three council meetings, and have made it clear they plan to keep attending until something changes.
The next La Broquerie council meeting is on June 12.
Tue, Jun 25, 8:00 PM
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