Is the reason city politicians didn't question the surprisingly low assessed value of a waterfront property in Northeast False Creek tied to their financial relationships with the owner of the land?

"I bristle at that suggestion," replied Coun. Kerry Jang of the ruling Vision Vancouver party. "I don't like it, I think it's wrong and I think it's wrongheaded." NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton had a similar response.

"That would be joining some dots that, in this case, should not be joined." The question was in reference to an April 30 Courier story that revealed the B.C. Assessment office set the value of a nine-acre waterfront property in Northeast False Creek at $400,000 this year.

The previous year, the value of the land between Carrall Street and the Telus World of Science, was assessed at $192,000. That value dates back to 2001 and included three additional acres of property. The property is owned by Concord Pacific Developments Inc., which paid $4,347 in taxes last year. This year's bill hasn't been finalized.

Concord Pacific is one of Vision Vancouver's main financial backers. The development company has also given generously in the past decade to the NPA and COPE to support their election campaigns.

In 2008, the Courier revealed a majority of the current council accepted freebies from Concord, including yacht rides to watch fireworks, dinners, tickets to Cirque du Soleil and Canucks games and a night in a private box at GM Place to watch a Bruce Springsteen concert. All three parties-Vision, the NPA and COPE-accepted one or more of the freebies.

No councillors questioned the assessed value of the Concord land or pushed for an appeal until the Courier questioned them this week. Jang, Anton and Vision Coun. Tim Stevenson have since asked city staff to investigate. COPE Coun. Ellen Woodsworth called for the city to appeal.

"I don't have the time, nor the expertise to go through the tax roll and I think it's unreasonable to expect a city councillor to do that," said Jang, noting he learned of the assessed value of the Concord land by reading the Courier's April 30 story.

Jang was elected in 2008 as part of Vision's majority on council. He said he hasn't accepted any freebies from Concord, although his party received $140,850 from the developer and its subsidiaries Pacific Place Developments Corp. and Centreville Construction since Vision was founded more than five years ago.

The donations do not include money Concord gave to Vision as one of the lead sponsors at the party's fundraiser at the Commodore Ballroom in February 2009. Stevenson admitted it can be awkward to talk about an issue involving a Vision contributor but added he has never been influenced by a party donor.

"From my own experience, I never encountered that we ever act in that manner," Stevenson said. "I personally haven't and I have never ever heard discussion like that." Stevenson pointed out council recently agreed to ban corporate and union donations from civic campaigns. It's now up to a provincial government task force to decide whether that will be in place for the 2011 election.

Mayor Gregor Robertson echoed Stevenson's points about a need for a ban on corporate and union donations to erase the perception that politicians are influenced by donors. "That will go a long way to addressing the concerns around campaign contributions, which is why I'm a strong proponent of banning corporate and union donations," Robertson said. "We don't need that perception that there is potential conflict. That needs to be straightened out and I'm hopeful the province will take that action."

He, too, said he learned of the $400,000 value tagged to the Concord land from reading the Courier's story. But Robertson said appealing the value would likely translate to an expensive court battle. The Courier asked Matthew Meehan, senior vice-president of planning for Concord, in an interview last month why the company gives money to city politicians.

Meehan promised to answer the question at a later date, saying he didn't want to give an "off the cuff" response.

© Vancouver Courier 2010