This question shouldn’t even be on the ballot. There are conflicting financial reports from Student Legal Assistance and from “yes” Campaign Manager Gavin Preston.
According to SLA, the Alberta Legal Foundation asked them to open the Banff and Red Deer clinics because there was a need in the community and gave them money to do so.
Preston said they opened up the clinics and realized they couldn’t fund them without an increase in their levy.
The 2001 levy increase was meant to assist SLA with the increasing workload of academic appeals. Preston contends SLA has not fulfilled that rationale, claiming the money goes towards Banff and Red Deer and not Calgary.
There is also the issue of the costs of the clinics.
SLA contends ALF money covers everything and claims there is minimal impact on the Calgary operation. Preston believes part of the money from Calgary must go to those clinics.
Seeing the mess that started the whole referendum process, it’s immediately obvious this issue should have been settled between the two groups without going to students. Both the SU and SLA should sit down, clear up the financials and decide which numbers make sense.
Despite that, if SLA loses this referendum, they’ve stated without exaggeration that other funding, like their ALF grant, would decrease, thus limiting their operations.
The sensible thing to vote for is no, and give them a time out. For $3.50 a year, $14 for four years, students are getting a deal and helping others.