It's amazing what an emergency is when you have the necessary means.

There are four things currently up for voter approval in the Comox Valley. The way that the regional district has chosen to go about getting approval is through the often-used and often-decried Alternative Approval Process (AAP). An AAP is a cost-effective way for people to voice their disagreement with a proposed service, while not bothering those who will probably agree with the service. While referendums (referenda?) are another option, most of the time governments choose not to pursue that option because it often costs more than the service would.

There seems to be a group of people in the Valley who do not like the AAP process.

According to the newly-published website noaap.ca, "an AAP is usually for essential infrastructure projects or emergency needs and in this case, we do not believe these four items are necessary for an AAP."

The four items are an emergency shelter and supportive housing land acquisition service, a homelessness support service, a fire hall in Union Bay and an artificial turf field. Based on these criteria, the first three items are all for emergency needs, and the fourth is for an infrastructure project. The services will have a small (think in terms of cups of coffee per month) property tax impact, is that too much for those who own property to pay to make our community a better place for everyone?

I can't think of a person in more urgent need than someone who is living outside in the cold and snow. I truly cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to wake up and be grateful that you didn't freeze to death in the night, or to worry about your loved ones doing the same. Yet the two items that will help the most vulnerable in our community will cost the average (based on an assessed value of $719,000) homeowner in the Valley $60 per year, or $5 per month. That's the price of one small latte per month.

The Union Bay Firehall, which would only be paid for by people living in the Union Bay Fire Protection District, would be the highest-price item on this list. That would cost just under $170 per year, for the average household, or $14 per month. Their current fire hall was built in 1956, and is too small for new fire trucks to fit inside. There's not enough parking for fire fighters, and only one bathroom. That $14 per month goes towards making sure the fire department has a place to park their trucks.

I'm just saying that it could be worse.

Finally, the turf field would cost the average property $10 per year, or if you want to think about it monthly, that's 82 cents per month. I've found that much on the sidewalk walking around. While I'm not personally sure that an artificial turf field is necessary, that's up to voters to decide.

I'd be fine sacrificing a few cups of coffee per year to help people in my community. This is a time when we should be building our community up, strengthening the bonds we have together and being resilient in the face of changes that will affect all of us.

I am happy to pay my share for the community services that we all enjoy. I like going to parks, I like going to the library, I like it when people don't die on the street from exposure and I like it when the fire department shows up. To me, that's worth a latte.

And if you're against the process, just wait until you see how much a referendum costs.

-Black Press Media