Mayor Brenda Locke ignites another war of words over cost of Surrey police transition

Surrey’s new mayor has sparked another war of words over the politically fraught transition from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service.

Brenda Locke sent out a statement Friday warning Surrey residents of a potential 55-per-cent tax hike in order to facilitate the transition to a local police force independent of the federal Mounties.

Locke claimed a staff report presented to city council in December estimated “the immense cost of the police transition in Surrey” — a $235-million tab over the next five years. She claimed recovery of those costs would require “a one-time tax increase of 55 per cent” next year on top of whatever tax increases are needed to run the city.

“It is abundantly clear that a switch to the Surrey Police Service would create an untenable financial burden for Surrey taxpayers during these challenging economic times,” said Locke in the statement.