(Vancouver) – Vision Vancouver School Board candidate Patti Bacchus challenged the NPA's Mike Klassen to come clean today on his previous support for closing Vancouver schools.
Bacchus, who is the current chair of the Vancouver Board of Education, said Klassen's comments provide a worrisome signal on the NPA's plans for government.
“Klassen is on the record in favour of closing schools and shutting down the Park Board,” said Bacchus. “To me, these are clear and troubling hints of NPA plans for major city-wide cuts to the crucial public services relied on by Vancouver families. Voting for the NPA is just not worth the risk.”
Today Klassen wrote on his blog that “As falling enrollment threatened to close the school in our neighbourhood, I did my best to fight for the facility.”
The facts show the opposite. NPA School Trustees voted for school closures and on CityCaucus.com on Oct. 4, 2010, Klassen wrote that “By closing McBride Annex or Sir Guy Carleton, you are reducing the costs of the district. This would free up budget for a new sport amenity, or a covered play area, for example, at Sir Richard McBride or Bruce Elementary.”
Vision Council candidate Raymond Louie is concerned that the NPA's double-talk on public services like neighbourhood schools and the Park Board might be part of an effort to hide plans for major cuts or tax hikes.
“The NPA has a massive $400 million hole in its platform, and they refuse to come clean on how they'll pay for it,” said Louie, who has also served as chair of Vancouver's City Services and Budget committee. “It's time the NPA leveled with Vancouver voters on which services they plan to cut, and which taxes they plan to hike. Their double-talk on public services is just another example of how Vancouver can't afford the reckless NPA.”
Councillor Louie has issued a public challenge to any NPA Council candidate willing to debate the lack of costing on their platform.
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