by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Oct 01/97) - Candidates for city council who ignore the suburbs will do so at their peril.

Voters from residential subdivisions in Frame Lake South and Range Lake North cast 41 per cent of votes in the last municipal election.

A Yellowknifer phone poll of eligible voters revealed property taxes, and not issues such as the houseboaters or Woodyard, are uppermost in the minds of suburban voters.

Of the 41 voters polled, only one chose the houseboat issue as the most important. None chose the Woodyard. For 23 people, or 59 per cent, property taxes were the number one issue.

Others offered their own views on what is important in this election.

"Certainly concerns have been raised about violence on city streets," said a Mandeville Drive resident. "Also a lot more could be done in terms of enhancing the business climate. The city's done next to nothing to attract business brought here by the diamond discoveries."

A Gold City Court resident concurred, saying "a more progressive, visionary administration," was needed to bring business to Yellowknife.

"I think we need to take a look at real estate, at fixing up homes and taking care of the needy instead of some of the other clap trap they're dealing with," said another resident.

The twin pad arena came a distant second to taxes in terms of issues most important to suburban voters.

"My son is a hockey player, so I know about the ice time problem," said a Wilkinson Crescent woman. "They should have started on that (twin pad arena) long ago. It will probably help cut down on city vandalism and violence."

A Range Lake Road resident said the new arena was the number one issue for him, but because he didn't want to see taxpayers "footing a huge bill for this one."

Respondents to the survey also said they are interested in municipal politics.

A total of 81 per cent indicated they would be voting in the election. Ninety per cent judged they were either very informed or somewhat informed of local issues.