The city of Vancouver will raise the property tax levy by 1 percent. In each of the next two years, utility rates will increase 4.5 percent for water, 6 percent for sewer and 8 percent for surface water. Waste Connection just reported a 2.6 percent to 3.1 percent rate increase adopted by the Vancouver City Council. Then there’s the 5 percent admissions tax on theater tickets and subscriptions, plus many fee increases. Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle stated on TV that more people causes more issues. Logically, more people should automatically increase tax revenue without increasing rates. On a Monday morning last month, I drove westbound on Fourth Plain Boulevard in the left lane, knowing that the right lane was for buses. I was surprised when the left lane abruptly ended shortly before Fort Vancouver Way. I moved to the right lane, only to have to move back to the left lane immediately after crossing Fort Vancouver Way. By Friday of that same week, the city once again changed the striping at this intersection so the right lane ended before Fort Vancouver Way. Return Fourth Plain to four lanes to reduce “issues” due to “more people.” As Spock said, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”