James will run again in City

Teri James

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City of Langley Councillor Teri James announced today that she will be seeking her third term on City Council in the November municipal elections.

“As a result of my six years on council and my continued involvement in our community, I have gained a genuine understanding of the needs and challenges facing our City," said James.

"I will continue to represent the people in this community and bring the knowledge and experience necessary to deal with the issues facing the City of Langley, and make responsible decisions as they arise."

James currently serves on a number of City and community committees, as chair, vice chair, director and City liaison. These include the Community Day Committee, Langley Christmas Bureau, Local Government Awareness Day, Langley Seniors Resource Society, Community Grant Committee, Recreation, Culture and Public Art Advisory Committee, Fraser Valley Regional Library, Magic of Christmas Parade Committee, Police Advisory Committee, Douglas Park Community School Society and the Arts Alive Festival.

Emphasis on public safety and crime prevention continues to be a priority for James.

It is important as an elected official, she said, to strive for a balance that keeps taxes as low as possible while allowing for continued economic development.

Long range fiscal planning is essential in order to keep costs down in the community so the City of Langley can continue to be debt free, she added.

“This is what will keep the community vibrant and maintain the quality of life for our residents for years to come.”

First elected in 2005, James describes her first six years on council as “very rewarding, because I have listened to and as a result have learned more about the people in this community than I ever thought possible”.

She cites several initiatives from the past six years, including the expansion of Al Anderson Pool, the Fraser Highway Bridge project and being part of the prudent use of Casino revenues for capital projects. This includes the essential repair and replacement of the City’s aging infrastructure and providing input towards community grants that enhance the community in so many ways.

Among the challenges she sees the City facing in the next three years is the continued “battle of the taxes,” as many of the costs to citizens are being downloaded from other levels of government — a trend she calls  "frustrating."

Over the next three years, James said she believes that the City of Langley will see a greatly improved public transportation system and a recreation facility at the Timms site that will rival those in much larger communities. She vowed to continue to work towards a revitalized downtown and improved infrastructure that will put the City of Langley in a position as one of the most desirable communities to live in the Lower Mainland.