Tories To Ask For Conflict Review

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Monday, 21 January 2013 16:00
 The BC Conservative candidate for Vernon says the party will be asking BC's conflict of interest commissioner, to reopen a review into MLA Eric Foster's constituency office. Scott Anderson says he'll be making the request this week, claiming $250,000 in taxpayers money has been spent renovating the office, which was bought just before the 2009 election by the family of Foster's executive assistant. Anderson says there was other office space Foster could have leased at a cheaper cost, or he could have stayed in the office of previous Liberal MLA Tom Christensen in the Sun Valley Mall. While the conflict commissioner has cleared Foster on the issue, Anderson feels there's new information the official should consider. "The whole circumstance where four days before the election buying an old, run down building and then pumping $78,000 or $67,000, whatever the amount was, into it, and then upping the lease by 62% I think it was. (He went) from a perfectly wheelchair- accessible building to this wreck that needed renovations," Anderson told Kiss FM. Anderson says whether what Foster did was wrong is part of a larger issue. "If this is not wrong with the conflict commissioner, then we've got a real problem in B.C. because if it's okay for someone to come in and be elected, and then open the treasury to his friends, then that's a systemic problem." Foster says everything was done according to the rules. "If he chooses to reopen the review, I guess it's certainly up to him. I have nothing to hide and, as I've said before, I've done everything by the book," Foster said to Kiss FM. Foster says he's already submitted all his documents to the conflict commissioner."He has them all now, so it's not an issue at all."

Meantime, Victoria resident David Bratzer -- who calls himself a concerned citizen working in the public interest -- has filed an appeal with BC Assessment on the building leased by Foster "It's a real simple case. My complaint is that the market value of the property is higher than what it's assessed by BC Assessment," Bratzer tells Kiss FM.
Here is the complaint he filed:
"Recent media reports suggest that in 2009, the individual leasing 3209 31st Avenue in Vernon – Mr. Eric Foster – spent as much as $78,000 on building renovations. This property is currently assessed at $187,100. Given the renos, I believe its actual market value to be higher."
Bratzer says the complaint will be heard by the Property Assessment Review Panel. A date has not been set yet, but the panel is required to hold the hearing by March 15th. He says he will be asking the panel to get Foster to appear as a witness at the hearing and to produce financial documents regarding the 2009 renovations. "This way he can demonstrate the value added to the property through the expenditure of public funds."