Editor:
I hope everyone has noticed that Urban Connections (Brad Elenko), agent for the registered owner, is again attempting to have the “Wish property” at 4927 Main Street released from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
There have been previous applications for this site which were denied.
Unless local residents speak up now in support of preserving  farmland, I really fear that the ALC might succumb to pressure from Town Council and the developers, with only  dollar signs in their eyes, citing community need  for a huge recreational vehicle park.
As you can see from Google Earth photos, the property is still a large tract of irreplaceable, viable farmland.
It is adjacent to agricultural land in Rural Area ‘A’, and across the road from an industrial area to the west which itself acts as a buffer for a residential area.
We will hear claims that the land is too wet for an orchard (false).
We will also hear that the land is not a viable farm (BS!)— only because the owner cut down all the large old trees a couple of years ago.
Old timers can tell you that tonnes of fruit have been harvested from that orchard for many decades.
New cherry trees at the north end of the property continue to produce beautiful fruit.
I urge anyone who supports the Agricultural Land Reserve in principle to write to Osoyoos Town Council and the Agricultural Land Commission to oppose this application.
Agricultural land should be preserved forever for future generations.
The Wish property should never be released from the ALR!
Denis Potter,
Osoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-September 16, 2009

OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS STILL IN JEOPARDY OF FUNDING CUTS

Editor:
The Osoyoos Desert Society recently had to deal with the potential loss of $45,000 in funds due to changes made by the provincial government to the gaming grant program.
These changes included the elimination of all funding for environmental organizations, including the Osoyoos Desert Society.
However, one week after announcing the elimination of gaming funding for the entire environmental sector, the government revised its position and released a statement that multi-year funding agreements already in place would be honoured.
Since the Desert Society was heading into the second year of a three-year funding agreement, the Society has been verbally assured that we will be receiving our previously-approved gaming grant for the next two years.
While the Desert Society has, for the time being, survived the provincial government’s funding “chopping block,” hundreds of other community organizations have not been so fortunate.
Many environmental organizations are now facing an uncertain future because of the sudden loss of gaming funds.
In the first of what is, sadly, likely to be a series of similar communications, the Grasslands Conservation Council has just notified the public of the precarious position it faces due to major funding cuts by the government.
As always, it is the support and efforts of the community that are the lifeblood of environmental organizations and other community groups.
The Desert Society would not exist, and could not continue to survive and succeed, were it not for the support of its members, volunteers and the greater community.
Your memberships, volunteer efforts and financial support make it possible for us to continue to pursue our mission of habitat conservation and education.
We deeply appreciate our supporters and thank all those who spoke out on our behalf during the recent funding crisis.
We remain concerned, however, for the many environmental and community organizations still in jeopardy, and for the future of our province given the dramatic erosion of support for environmental efforts.
The recent funding cuts directly impact the quality of life for British Columbians and we could be paying the price for these decisions for years to come.
Community members concerned about the government’s funding cuts are urged to contact their elected officials to express support for the many critically-needed organizations now at risk.
Roger Horton, President,

Osoyoos Desert Society

OSOYOOS TIMES-September 16, 2009

TAX IS NOTHING BUT ‘EXTORTION’

Editor:
In response to the letter of Zachary Poturica and his version of how more tax would benefit people of B.C., I agree he has the right to his opinion and I can only assume that he will somehow profit from this extortion called “tax.”
If he can recall, we got along quite nicely before sales tax or GST and before that income tax did not exist, neither did a whole mob of useless dead weight government drones that only exist to make our lives more miserable with regulations and controls and an endless list of red tape that produces nothing of value.
And as far as government keeping us healthy and educated, we had health and education before government got involved.
And we could afford it, back then more than we can today
And furthermore, the state we are in today has been caused by government taxing industries out of business.
When the mob in Victoria can take over 35 billion dollars out of our pockets yearly and Ottawa takes another 250 billion and drops it in a bottomless pit, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure what created the problem we are faced with today.
Vern Rexin,
Rock Creek

OSOYOOS TIMES-September 16, 2009