To the Editor,

Dysart et al Mayor Andrea Roberts has hit the nail on the head. We really need to make sure to capture all the wonderful hidden benefits of Airbnbs. For instance, look at the landfill space being saved when renters dump their garbage by the side of the road when their stay is finished.
And that’s good, because our spendthrift municipal governments won’t have commercial tax revenue from regulated accommodation businesses to throw at wasteful projects like roads and bridges much longer thanks to these “innovative” new businesses that pay the same residential (not business) taxes as you and I! And gosh, so much better to not have to deal with all that pesky licensing and inspection nonsense, not to mention having more waterfront lands to throw developers’ way once those old school lodging businesses go under. Brilliant!

And look at how residents and cottagers benefit too! Up with the birds on those beautiful summer mornings because the all-night party next door made it impossible to sleep. No rushing to get to town because the road is blocked once again by the renter’s car that has slid off the road after they blithely drove past the “4-wheel drive only” sign in their Honda Civic in January. A chance to feel good about protecting the environment by picking up that garbage left behind, because, hey, sure the “host” left landfill tags, but the landfill is “out of the way.”

Of course, getting to meet new people who swear at you, threaten you, or tell you they’ll party their lungs out, if they like, is always an interesting learning experience from which we can all gain so much.
I look forward to Mayor Robert’s further insights on how having highly disruptive, unregulated businesses operating in residential neighbourhoods is a boon for the county.

Brad Cundiff,
Minden

This letter references the Haliburton County council virtual meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 23.