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Zhe Zhang

Independent for Richmond Council
My vision for Richmond

housing affordability:
Everyone has a decent place called home.

Chinese culture:
People realize the value and modern significance of Chinese culture, more people love Chinese culture.

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Misc. topics

Affordable Housing

High housing prices stimulate people's desires, but also make some people become house slaves. Ordinary wage earners chase market up and down, and at all costs to buy unaffordable houses, although they have a house, their burdens are extremely heavy.

They are full of fear of falling house prices and are full of expectations for rising house prices. At the same time, renters and young people cannot find suitable place to live and must bear the price of housing crisis.

This is abnormal and unsustainable.

Renters and other no-owners such as young people have no reason to be the bridesmaids of house speculators. Social ethics of the wealth pursuit should not base on forcing others to be poor.

Real estate speculators should not pass on high property taxes to homeowners who only use houses as a shelter and home. Homeowners should not pass on the high mortgages to tenants. The government needs to take action to curb speculation that is harmful to the economy and social stability. The government should not give speculators the chance to speculate.

To this end, I propose three different levels of plans, which are short term plan, medium term plan and long term plan. I hope these plans can help the housing market not only be on the normal track, minimize the damage caused by the housing crisis, but also create new opportunities.

The government needs a short term, visible solution, we cannot treat emergency as chronic diseases.

The government needs a medium term and long term plan, because the recuperation of the housing market involves almost all aspects of political and economic elements, it is a complicated process.

In my solution, the short term plan is to prevent further housing speculation, at the same time give subsidies to renters and homeowners who own only one home.

The medium term plan is to speed up the approval of rezoning and new housing construction, increase supply, and scientifically and rationally make urban planning in the long run.

The long term plan is to reform the housing system and establish a new mechanism to solve the housing crisis. I recommend the Singapore's scheme and the remote area immigration strategy.

Regarding the short term plan, unlike the simple taxation, I subdivide the homeowner and try to collect taxes only on speculators and Robert-kiyosaki-style investors.

For the medium term plan, I rely more on private sectors than government's subsidizing. Because the market mechanisms are more powerful that the government's limited manipulation. On the other hand, some strategic plans must be made to create the necessary external conditions for real estate development.

For the long term plan, I recommend Singapore's successful experience in housing policy, which requires the support of the provincial and federal governments, it is a long-term systematic project and real solution.

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We need a healthy housing market.

The drop in house prices does not mean the rents will decrease automatically. while house prices are falling, real estate speculators can still be bargain hunters, therefore, we must restrain the real estate speculation, at the same time do not give buyers opportunity to irrationally chase the market.

Real estate speculators benefit when house prices rise, and real estate speculators can bargain when house prices fall. Renters, and one-home homeowners who don't participate in this process get nothing. so we need a mechanism that blocks real estate speculation and at the same time return the collected taxes to renters and one-home homeowners, rather than simply lower house prices.

We cannot make an emergency appointment today but the doctor says the visiting date is unknown and indefinite.

It’s not just the homeless, the low-income people, even the people who earn decent incomes cannot afford the down payment. Therefore, the scope of subsidies needs to be expanded to help as many people as possible.

My short term plan consists of four parts:

First, restrain the behaviour of chasing market, let people who are not actually very wealth quit the housing investment market. Impose more annual property tax on those who have two or more homes, and use this money to subsidize renters.

Second, link the number of transactions to new buyer's property tax. The more transactions in the past, the higher the tax rate on the property tax. This part of the tax is used to subsidize the home owners who own one home. This subsidies can be in the form of more home owner grant, or just simply deduct from annual property tax.

Third, charge birth tourists additional management fees , use this part of the money to subsidize the foreign talents in Richmond company, and let more talents from outside of metro Vancouver settle in Richmond and work for Richmond's companies.

Fourth, use city finance to subsidize small businesses that rent commercial properties and make measures to tackle speculation in commercial property.

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'second home tax' and renter grant

Many people are actually not very wealthy, they use the second home to raise the house and transfer the burden to the tenant. This creates a lot of conflicts between the tenant and the landlord. The landlord is also suffering because they need to repay huge amount of mortgages.

Only few people are real speculators, but they take advantage of the speculative attitude of most homeowners, so real estate speculators always can easily control the steering wheel.

For the housing crisis, most of the solutions are to build more affordable rental housing or increase supply. The question is that the construction of a large number of affordable housing does not absolutely reduce the rental price, because the rental price is directly linked to the landlord's mortgage and property tax. If the house price and property tax cannot be reduced, then the rent will not be reduced. Renting and buying are two separate and interrelated markets. If the house price can't be hit, then the price of renting is hard to come down.

The construction of affordable housing lasts for a long time and is costly. Only very limited people can benefit. Now, young people and working-class are also affected by housing crisis. So, subsidizing renters is the most direct and only effective way to solve this problem.

The source of funding for this subsidy is from those who own second home.

The detailed method is as follows:

If there is only one home, then it doesn't matter if the homeowner lives in this home or not, it is always considered a reasonable investment and is not subject to taxation.

If a homeowner has two homes, there are two scenarios:

A, one home is in Richmond, the another one outside Richmond, but still in Metro Vancouver.

B, both are in Richmond.

Depending on whether or not the homeowner actually live in this home,, these two scenarios can continue to be subdivided into five situations:

A1, the homeowner does not live in these two homes;

A2, the homeowner lives in a Richmond home;

A3, the homeowner lives in a home outside of Richmond, but that home is still in metro Vancouver;

B1, the homeowner does not live in these two homes;

B2, the homeowner lives in one of Richmond's homes;

For A1, it is considered speculative and a tax of 0.45% of assessed value is imposed;

For A2, it is considered a reasonable investment, no tax;

For A3, it is considered a lite version speculation and a 0.2% tax is imposed;

For B1, it is considered speculative and a tax of 0.35% is imposed;

For B2, it is regarded as speculation, the tax is not collected from the home that homeowner lives, and the another home is subject to a tax of 0.1%;

If there are three or more homes, it can be subdivided into two cases:

C1, the homeowner lives in a home outside of Richmond;

C2, the homeowner lives in one of Richmond's homes;

For C1, it is considered speculative and a tax of 0.55% is imposed;

For C2, it is considered speculative, there is no tax on home that owner lives, and for other homes in Richmond, a tax of 0.3% is imposed.

Exemptions:

The above does not apply to the home that was purchased before 2008. in another word, these homes bought before 2008 will be exempted.

Regarding family size, for families with more than 3 children under the age of 19, B2 can be waived;

For those who have parents and parents are citizens or permanent residents and live separately, parents do not own a home and can be exempt from B2.

for multi generation family, three generations of the family have more than six people and live together, the second home can be exempt.

The above applies to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

For homeowners who are non-citizens or non-permanent:

D, whether it is one home or multiple rooms, and whether or not the owner lives in it, all the tax rate is 1%.

All funds are used to subsidize the renters that families' annual income is less than 80,000.

The exact amount of subsidies depends on the amount of tax collected.

The eligibility for the application is the renter must have lived in Richmond for more than one year. The signature of landlord is required.

For newly moved to Richmond, you must be working in Richmond to be eligible to apply.

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'third-time buyer tax' and home owner grant

If house prices fall, buyers including speculators must rush into the market again, it will not take long before a new round of housing crisis and housing price will skyrocket again. The so-called real estate speculation, an important feature is the number of transactions, so to avoid real estate speculation back and forth again, the number of transactions must be limited. The purpose of the house is first to live. For the whole society, the living, not investment should be No 1 priority.

Therefore, the government must impose tax based on the number of transactions .The specific measures could be as follows:

If the new home transaction takes place in Richmond, and it's the third-time buying transaction in the last 8 years. Regardless of whether the current homeowner owns one home or multiple homes, the 'third-time buyer tax' will be levied according to the number of transactions. The transaction of pre-sale condo is also regarded as real 'transaction'.

For non-presale-condo, the tax rate is based on the assessment value of the home. For presale condo, the tax rate is based on capital gain.

Whether it is pre-sale condo or not, a progressive tax system is adopted. In other words, the more the number of transactions, the higher the tax rate will be.

The third transaction refers to the third purchase behaviour in last 8 years.

If it is the third purchase of non-presale-condo, then the tax rate is 1%; If it is the fourth purchase in 8 years, then the tax rate is 2%. The fifth time is 3%, and so on.

If it is the third purchase of presale condo in 8 years, the tax rate is 10%;

The fourth purchase of presale condo in 8 years, the tax rate is 20%, and so on.

Although the number of transactions is self-declared, it will be severely punished if it is not declared or falsely declared.

This part of the tax will be used to subsidize homeowners who own one home only, and family annual income is less than $100,000. Because a lot of homeowners really use the house as a place for living, due to the high assessment value, they have to pay for the huge amount of mortgage and/or property taxes. Subsidies can be in the form of a home owner grant or directly deducted from property taxes.

Arts and Culture

There are many cultural and artistic groups in Richmond, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, European, Latin American, African, indigenous and so on, you can see many wonderful cultural programs every year.

These literary and art groups can be integrated to form a cultural and creative industry that will eventually form Richmond's new pillar industry. Make literature and art not only a literary art, but also a source of economics.

This kind of cultural and creative industry can be all-embracing comprehensive, not only can transform traditional culture and art, but also combine film and book publishing, and so on.

Now Richmond is an art city, Richmond can also be a business center of cultural creation.

Cannabis Legalisation & Policy

There was a story in ancient china about three moves by Mencius' mother. Therefore, we should let children to stay away from the environment of marijuana.

The sale of cannabis food needs to be banned in order to protect children.

Farmland is not allowed to grow marijuana, which is the respect for the community.

Planting marijuana at home is allowed, if you're a tenant, then planting must be approved by the landlord. If the dwelling is in an apartment, the building management can make their own policies.

If you only smoke marijuana, you must plant at least four flowers in the yard. If you plant four cannabis in your home, you must plant eight flowers in the yard. These flowers can make the community more beautiful, and planting flowers is also a compromise and respect for others.

Neighbors have the right to complain about marijuana odour, the basic principle of using marijuana is not to disturb other people's life.

On the other hand, the key of marijuana issue is education. If you cannot ban in the past, how can you ban after legalization? so simple ban will not be working, we must strengthen the tools of education, let schools, churches, and monasteries play the key role.

Community Safety and Security

Whether it is marijuana, opioid, mental health, or community safety, in essence, it is a spiritual issue. It involves not only politics but also ethics and religion. To solve these problems, we cannot simply ask to go back to the past, nor can we ignore ethic issue .

We must consider both the progress and principle, western value and eastern method, and respect multiculturalism.

Religion has a unique role in solving these social issues, and it is necessary to strengthen the function of religion.

For this reason, I propose the following solutions to marijuana, drugs, mental health and community safety issues:

First, urge the federal government to setup a special religious visa which is different from the skilled worker immigrant category. Let great masters, gurus, prominent priest, ministers, and other notable religious leaders can easily immigrate to Canada, let these spiritual treasures transform and purify this society.

Second, support the existing religious institutions, children's certain volunteer activities in religious practices can be counted to school volunteer hours.

Third, encourage the secular practice of religious study, and establish a good relationship between religious group and government, let religious groups get more involved in social activities.

Fourth, improve police's efficiency and service level, increase the detection rate.

Fifth, help new immigrants understand Canada's legal system and strengthen self-protection.

Sixth, Follow the principle of edification to solve social problems.

Community-Building

There are many Chinese in Richmond, on the other hand, Richmond is also a diverse multiracial community. Chinese people have Chinese identity, Chinese are also a part of the Canadian multicultural community. Chinese need to learn how to live in harmony with other ethnic groups.

Just like salt, it is vital for the human body, but don't eat too much. The Chinese community may have some healthy nationalism, but need be careful not to trap in an ethnic enclave. Chinese and other ethnic group need to respect each other’s ethnic identity and religion.

For this reason, I advocate multiple dialogues and friendly conversations:

First, religious dialogue between Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism;

Second, community dialogue between Chinese and Muslim, let Chinese and Muslim know each other's history and culture;

Third, strengthen the relationship between the Japanese and Chinese community. Both Chinese and Japanese have been discriminated against in Canadian history, now we are all Canadian.

Fourth, let more people know Chinese culture, especially the real spirit of Chinese philosophy and Buddhism, eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings;

Fifth, educate and spread the concept of religious freedom and religious tolerance;

Sixth, the Chinese community may organize more joint events with other ethnic groups, establish friendship and enhance each other's connections.

Development and Overdevelopment

For urban planning, I have four points: First, build a shopping mall in No 4 rd to shift the city's center of gravity eastward, this shopping mall will also help reduce traffic congestion.

Second, the current CF Richmond center expansion plan has a huge security risk and the plan needs to be updated. This expansion plan will last seven years, that means the Richmond center will be a big construction site in the next few years. A large two-story parking lot will be built under the Richmond center, if the earthquake occurs during the day time and eventually the Richmond center collapses, it will cause a huge disaster. Richmond downtown need high density, but congestion and lack of various supporting facilities will cause problems, especially the shortage of school and residential parking space. The Richmond center will be surrounded by high-rise buildings. From the perspective of the Chinese feng shui, this type of design is not auspicious.

Third, establish a second downtown in Steveston, dominate by high-end communities, it will help divert the population of Richmond, at the same time, Richmond may build more beautiful waterfront.

Fourth, encourage more people to use bicycles , repair some bicycle lanes, and protect the safety of cyclists.

Although translink has already adjusted the future bus routes, there is still much room for improvement, and re-planning of bus routes can help people travel more easily.

Farmland and the ALR

The development of Richmond's agriculture must take into consideration that Richmond is adjacent to other central cities, while other central cities have essentially no agricultural land.

Since it is impossible to rely on large-scale mechanical farming to improve competitiveness, developing featured agriculture, high value-added agriculture, high tech agriculture, urban-oriented agriculture become essential. It is necessary to change the development model and strategic direction.

Agricultural seasonal workers who work illegally with tourist visas must be banned. The city council need take further actions to curb ALR speculation, remove the obstacles of agricultural development .

Agricultural resorts, agricultural education bases, and the construction of sightseeing agriculture need to be encouraged. The development of agriculture needs to be combined with Richmond's filming industry. Some Chinese vegetables that usually are imported from China and the US should grow locally.

KPU's new greenhouse technology can be first tested, applied and promoted in Richmond. Agri-tourism can be used as an extension of tourism and agriculture.

Green Space

Richmond needs to be a true garden city. Not only a green city, but also a beautiful city.

Skytrain (pier) is too ugly on No 3 rd, a further make up and creative design (such as painting or horticultural decoration) are necessary.

More stringent city appearance regulation need to be established to make the city cleaner and debris must be removed.

Develop waterfronts and build more beautiful waterfronts.

The Richmond garden award is awarded annually to encourage the horticulture and artistic creation.

In principle, newly built farmer's houses on the ALR are not allowed next to the main street in order to avoid affecting the city appearance.

The city distributes some free flower seeds to residents every year.

Urban design and creation reference to the opinion of the film industry.

Those who grow marijuana at home, flowers need be planted at the same time as courtesy and contribution.

Jobs

Richmond should be more dynamic, more energetic and full of opportunities. The entrepreneurial barriers need to be eliminated. Strengthen the role of chambers of commerce, Let entrepreneurship boost job creation.

Promote competition, equality, diversity and tolerance, make Richmond a city with many business opportunities and job opportunities, and everyone can find their place and realize their dreams.

Small Business

Not only do tenants in residential homes suffer from housing crises, but also tenants in commercial properties are under pressure from rising rents, which is extremely detrimental to business development.

To protect Richmond's small business, in the context of the current housing crisis, subsidies are necessary. The city can temporarily allocate some money from the finances to subsidize the small business to pay rent for shop or office.

Unlike residential subsidies, subsidies for small business are based on the area or price of the lease, so a larger lease area will receive more subsidies.

At the same time, the city need take special measures to curb the speculation of commercial properties, block the speculative loopholes.

Youth

Richmond needs to transform from a capital-driven economy to an innovation and knowledge economy, shift from a real-estate-driven to a technology-driven, abandon dependence on real estate, focus on innovation, management and knowledge.

Innovation means the innovators and entrepreneurs must come to Richmond first. For this purpose, Richmond City needs to set up a startup mansion to provide low-rent or even free office for startup and new companies, cultivate start-up incubators and encourage entrepreneurship.

This kind of entrepreneurship is not just a technology startup, but a full-scale entrepreneurship. City council creates a variety of software and hardware environments for entrepreneurship.

Chinese culture

Half of Richmond's population is Chinese. Chinese culture is an important part of Canada's multiculturalism. Chinese people have the responsibility and obligation to inherit, promote and spread Chinese culture.

To this end, I have five proposals:

First, build a new Chinatown.

Second, spread Buddhism and promote studies of Chinese ancient civilization.

Third, set up a Chinese language learning center.

Fourth, develop and carry forward Chinese medicine.

Fifth, better play the role of Chinese community groups in spreading Chinese culture.

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New Chinatown

Unlike the traditional Chinatown based on herb stores, souvenirs, restaurants, and vegetable markets, the new Richmond Chinatown will be composed of Buddhist temple, calligraphy and painting, Chinese bookstore, Chinese school, Chinese architecture, Chinese gardens and other elements that truly reflect the spirit of Chinese traditional culture. In addition, some high-tech companies and chambers of commerce will settle in Chinatown as well, a new Chinese image will be established. Herb stores, souvenirs, restaurants, and food markets are not absolutely excluded, it only means Chinatown need new image.

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Promote traditional Chinese culture

Invite famous Buddhist masters to teach in Canada, promote the education of filial piety, and spread the spirit of Chinese culture.

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Chinese study center

If the Chinese second generation does not speak Chinese, then they will not be able to communicate in Chinese, and they will not be able to read the real Chinese classics. Then the second generation will lose their identity.

As a city with many Chinese second-generation population, Richmond needs a government-supported Chinese learning center to help more Chinese children learn about their culture, language and history.

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Chinese medicine

Give full play to the role of Chinese medicine in helping people to restore health, establish the position of Chinese medicine in the Canadian medical system, let more non-Chinese understand Chinese medicine, hold more seminars on Chinese medicine, and spread basic knowledge of Chinese medicine , especially common sense in healthy eating.

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Chinese group and association

There are many uncivilized phenomena in the Chinese community. These phenomena are not associated with the spirit of Chinese culture, but it may lead other ethnic groups to misinterpret Chinese culture.

There are splendid treasures in Chinese culture. Chinese need to excavate and carry forward these treasures, Chinese people should be the model of civilization. But nowadays that most of the casino customers are Chinese, and this phenomenon should be changed.

Chinese groups and association have the role of bridges. While further strengthening the artistic and commercial functions, it is necessary to add more functions of culture and education, to realize the transformation from the performance of form of traditional culture to the practice of the spirit of traditional culture, and to play a role in establishing a new image of Chinese. In various educational activities, the Chinese community groups and associations can provide audiences, act as leaders, make Richmond a cultural city, a model of integration between China and the West, and finally revive Chinese spirit, contribute to Canada's multiculturalism.

Biography

submitted by the candidate or their team
I grew up in Liaoning China, studied political theory at University in Beijing, went to Australia to pursue master degree in IT and commerce, got involved in international trade, start-up in Australia and Canada.

As a person who has multiple background and global view, I think Richmond need better vision and new approach.

A real leader is to give direction, uphold justice, serve all people, rather than simply woo the voters. A real leader should be a warrior, in the beginning, maybe they are alone, lack of public understanding, but they know they are doing right things.

Our housing crisis need a real solution, politicians should not just demonstrate they are doing something but ignore the result.

Our community need more care, love, fairness, respect and dignity. The cold-blood should not be political main melody.

There are many problems in our community. Nationalism and extremism are surging, although they are still lurking, it will become a big conflict at any time.

Chinese community is almost a racial enclave, many new immigrants lack basic understanding of western value.

On the other hand, traditional Chinese culture is misused, many people just use the name of Chinese culture, but far away from the real spirit of Chinese tradition.

So many religious groups are disconnected with society and secular practice, forgot their social responsibility.

Our community need a real transformation, not a superficial remedy.

If elected, I will devote my knowledge and experience to all richmondites, Richmond deserves a better future . Please vote for me on October 20.

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