Independent candidate Alan Lackstein is running for Richmond city councillor and provided yes/no responses to a municipal questionnaire.
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Alan Lackstein is seeking a seat on Richmond city council as an independent candidate.
The questionnaire he completed includes background information and issue responses. Lackstein said he lives in the Shellmount neighbourhood and is retired from wholesale sales, and his hobbies include skiing with his kids, biking and walking his dog.
Lackstein said he is running as an independent because Richmond is set to have a new mayor and new councillors, and he wants to avoid being associated with a slate or required to vote along party lines.
On the questionnaire, Lackstein said Richmond is a safe place to live, work and play, and he would not increase taxes to pay for more police officers and firefighters.
He said he would continue the city’s appeal of the Cowichan Tribes ruling, support increased reconciliation efforts with First Nations, and back new small-scale multi-unit housing developments in Richmond.
Lackstein said he would not lower fees for developers to support faster housing development, but he would allow more City of Richmond-owned land to be used for affordable housing.
For the question on continuing temporary modular housing contracts, Lackstein did not provide an answer.
On transportation, Lackstein said he supports adding more bike lanes, but did not provide an answer on whether the city needs to reduce traffic congestion or whether Richmond needs more buses.
Lackstein said he supports lower property taxes and more recreational facilities, and he did not provide an answer on increasing funding for arts programming. He said he supports more taxpayer-funded free community events.
He said Richmond does not get enough support from senior levels of government for housing, health and transportation. He did not provide an answer on reducing environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) on private property.
On other policy questions, Lackstein said he supports allowing retail cannabis stores in Richmond, and he supports more industrial and commercial development along the Fraser River waterfront.
He said he supports the city creating more low-cost or subsidized commercial space for local entrepreneurs and startups, and he supports holding more public consultations before major infrastructure decisions.
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