Dear Editor, 
[Re: RCMP fight, 91Ô­´´ Advance Times, June 13]
Our family has only lived in 91Ô­´´ since 1994, and therefore don't have a full perspective on how and why the 91Ô­´´s split up. 
Policing is vital for our security and safety and the ongoing fight over who pays for the RCMP in the 91Ô­´´s and the desire to split up the RCMP into two jurisdictions is ridiculous. So are many of the shared service costs being supported by taxpayers in both municipalities.
Instead of discussing who pays how much for what, how about focusing on how residents pay double the costs for two separate governments? Two mayors, two elected councils, two expensive-to-maintain town halls, two fire and operations departments, two elections every four years, etc. 
In the 30years we've lived in the 91Ô­´´s, we've owned two homes in the City and two in the Township and therefore have paid taxes in both municipalities. The only dealings we've had with the governing bodies are when our taxes are due and in every case, we have dealt with wonderful people at the respective halls. Consistent and hardworking civil employees aren't the problem. Having two sets of them is. 
When comparing communities south of the Fraser from Delta to Chilliwack, the 91Ô­´´s combined have about 475 people per kilometre of land-mass, which is far less than Surrey or Delta and only a bit more than Abbotsford or Chilliwack, yet our combined municipalities have two distinct bureaucracies. If we were only discussing policing, Abbotsford and Delta, which have fewer people per km of land mass due to heavier farming than in other communities, have municipal police forces – Surrey, soon too – but that's not the point of this letter. The point is, none of these neighbouring communities has two governing bodies for their populations. 
Ironically, the initial reasoning behind splitting the 91Ô­´´s was the rural residents (Township farmers) were upset at paying for urban (City dwellers) facilities they couldn't use. The tide has turned. 
Instead of arguments, accusations, and threats about who pays for the RCMP and the de-integration of the service, it is time to discuss the re-integration of the 91Ô­´´s. 
Rob Hunt, Walnut Grove

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