Letter to the Editor:
Your February 2023 edition was filled with interesting articles and pictures – kudos to you. The “Murray Hill – one of our Original Subdivisions” article was especially meaningful for me as we have called Murray Hill home for almost 50 years. There was always a question about the reason for the 2-acre lots and now the answer is historically clear – thank you. Now may be the time for the township to consider installing two signs announcing that you are entering “Murray Hill” so that folks will know how to refer to our very attractive community. I wonder how that might happen?
Lynda Bult, Cavan
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Cavan Monaghan has Nothing to Gain
I used to live just outside Peterborough until the city decided to annex property. This was done in two phases. In 1998, Peterborough took in several hundred acres. In 2008 the city took land right down to Driscoll Rd in Otonabee-South Monaghan. All of that land, hundreds of acres is still sitting there unchanged 25 years later. The kicker is that all the residents who live there are paying city tax rates and have nothing to show for that. The developer who owns the bulk of the land has promised housing for years yet nothing happened. When we moved, there was a plan of subdivision filed at the township office showing over 600 houses, a school and new roads.
In North Monaghan when the city annexed land in the sixties around Spillsbury Dr, the people on Green Blvd. went decades before the city finally installed sewer and water.
Until the city stops taking land and charging the people high taxes for nothing, they shouldn’t even consider trying to expand. The residents have nothing to gain and everything to lose. I would never agree to any land deal. If such a deal did take place, tell the city that the tax rate can’t increase until they actually give the people something for it.
At a meeting with Peterborough City Council about the move I was told these comforting words, “at least now you will have city fire protection”. That was the best that they could offer me. The reality was that the township fire hall was a half mile away and their staff would be on scene long before the city could be.
If Peterborough wants to make a deal, please offer something better than what has happened in the past.
Warren G. Craft, Millbrook
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Published in the Peterborough Examiner on Feb. 25th
To the editor,
Thank you for covering local politics. Thank you for you for reporting on Cavan Monaghan’s plan to go its own way. Thank you for including Warren Craft’s letter to the editor. (also printed here) Thank you to Mr. Craft for taking the time to share his experiences and opinion.
Those of us who believe municipal politics are important find it frustrating that only a small percentage of potential voters find municipal politics interesting. Municipal politics are a not only interesting but also complicated.
Imagine that you are a member of either Cavan Monaghan Council or the City of Peterborough Council. Council members of both the City and Township know that the Province has the power to force a gift of Cavan Monaghan’s lands to the city with no compensation to Cavan Monaghan. Both know that the costs to CM of losing the revenue from the annexed lands are real. Both know that those losses are significant.
Some question whether the actual revenues from potential growth in the City will cover the costs of providing upgraded services to the new residents of the City both in either new subdivisions or the existing homes.
As a City Council member would you pay the fair price for CM’s land or wait for the Province to hand it to you?
As a Township Council member would you plan to manage growth within your Township and hope the Province would treat you fairly?
To this knowledge add the fact that even though the Province requires municipalities to plan for population growth, the Province doesn’t feel it is necessary for it to guarantee that it will collect enough taxes to pay for anything.
To the people who don’t find municipal politics interesting please reconsider.
If you can’t find a doctor in your community, ask your MPP how we got to that point. If you need to go to the emergency ward, do you try to plan to get there at 4:00 am. Ask your MPP why that is necessary.
If your municipal taxes are going up faster than seems reasonable, you may direct that question to both your MPP and MP.
John Fallis, Millbrook
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