A Riverview resident is speaking out against a bylaw that permits charges for local improvements.

Eric Sénéchal received a proposal for work on Manning Road where he lives, but it also included costs for the property owners.

“There should be no extra charge for any property of Manning Road or any other roads from Riverview. We are already paying every year our property tax, civil tax, and have included repair to the streets and piping, etc. No other residents of our neighborhood cities have to pay any extra costs of their services.”

Sénéchal says he has contacted other communities directly, including Campbellton, Shediac, Memramcook, Woodstock, Sackville, Bouctouche, Moncton, Dieppe and Saint John, and he says most have never heard of the bylaw before.

Town of Riverview Spokesperson Ashly Barron says this shared cost bylaw is not new for the town. She told us the practice began in the 1980s.

Sénéchal also expressed a few reasons to town council explaining why he feels residents shouldn’t be paying extra fees on Manning Road.

“Manning Road is not a typical quiet neighborhood street. It’s very public-use road. Many daycares pass on our street to go play in the playground, and also the baseball field is being used during summertime. People go to see the games over there. They’re not being charged extra for using our street,” Sénéchal says.

“The road is also a city bus route. The city should have a budget to accommodate the repair of that street because we all know buses are heavy equipment and they are more tough on the streets, therefore damaging our streets even more.”

Sénéchal has lived in Riverview for 11 years and he feels as a resident they are paying the highest property taxes compared to Moncton.

“Putting financial pressure on the people that are already struggling to put food on the table for their family and it’s not right.”

Residents were invited to express their concerns at a public meeting held on March 11. Only two residents came to speak before the Town Council on Monday night.

Town Councillors have now passed the first reading of the bylaw for Manning Road. The second and third readings will be done at the April Town Council meeting.