Bureaucracy Never Decreases

And now the North Okanagan's School District No. 22 is also contributing to the impact of red tape and shifting, ever-changing rules.

On hearing that schools now charge an annual ridership fee for busing, a friend who is in her early 60's stated "When I was a child, buses picked up and delivered kids all the way out to Baker Hogg Road (on L&A) without any fees because it was rural kids who needed the busing."

Exactly!

Last year's newspaper story...parents are angry at the risks imposed.

The School District imposed a $300 annual busing fee--per child--for families who live outside a 2.4 kilometre distance from BX Elementary school on Silver Star Road. 

"That's a horrendous additional fee for a family, say, of three children," admit parents, adding "especially when we pay exorbitant school taxes annually."

The hue and cry from parents led to a Transportation Survey conducted by the school district, and results are now released.  Not surprisingly, the majority of families have not in favour of the district's fee structure.

Controversial busing fees of $300 per child were rejected by respondents.
The survey asked parents if they would support a $25.00 fee for all students and a $175.00 fee for "courtesy" riders (which decreases the original $300 down to $200 annually).  Fifty-seven per cent of respondents agreed.  (scroll down to Bus Fees, near the end of the link provided).

Number of students currently using the system is 3,167.
Of those, 971 students are considered "courtesy" riders, and 2,196 are "eligible" riders.

"There should be NO additional fees for busing...beyond school taxes," Kia would've said.

Agreed.
But School District No. 22 is determined to download costs...and look at the bureaucracy they're creating!

Probably need to hire someone just to track it all...