 On local issues , Howard was an advocate of opening Richmond to gambling facilities , which led to the River Rock Casino Resort . He was supportive of heritage preservation measures but opposed Richmond 's tree preservation bylaw . He was the only one on council who preferred the elevated option for the Canada Line ( then known as the Richmond @-@ Airport @-@ Vancouver Line ) , whereas the other councillors preferred the ground level option or no SkyTrain extension at all . He was an advocate for building a convention centre and the most ardent supporter of removing a 55 @-@ acre piece of land from the Agricultural Land Reserve as a possible location for it , though the removal was refused . When the possibility of the city constructing a speed @-@ skating oval associated with the 2010 Winter Olympics came , Howard was a vocal supporter . He travelled to Lillehammer , Norway , in 2004 as part of a committee to investigate similar facilities built for the 1994 Winter Olympics . He also traveled to Pierrefonds , Quebec and Asia as part of the sister city program . He was not supportive of proposals to build a new soccer facility or financially contributing to tall ships tourism attractions . Because previous councils had made funding commitments at the expense of the city 's reserve funds rather than the tax base , Howard 's time on council was marked with consistent property tax increases around 3 to 4 % each year . Howard unsuccessfully lobbied other councillors to hire more police officers . He became the subject of a lawsuit , along with other Richmond First councillors , alleging a conflict @-@ of @-@ interest occurred after they approved a rezoning allowing a controversial pub . 
 On local issues , Howard was an advocate of opening Richmond to gambling facilities , which led to the River Rock Casino Resort . He was supportive of heritage preservation measures but opposed Richmond <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>tree preservation bylaw . He was the only one on council <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a>preferred the elevated option for the Canada Line ( then known as the Richmond @-@ Airport @-@ Vancouver Line ) , whereas the other councillors preferred the ground level option or no SkyTrain extension at all . He was an advocate for building a convention centre and the most ardent supporter of removing a 55 @-@ acre piece of land from the Agricultural Land Reserve as a possible location for it , though the removal was refused . When the possibility of the city constructing a speed @-@ skating oval associated with the 2010 Winter Olympics came , Howard was a vocal supporter . He <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>travelled</mark></a> to Lillehammer , Norway , in 2004 as part of a committee to investigate similar facilities built for the 1994 Winter Olympics . He also traveled to Pierrefonds , Quebec and Asia as part of the sister city program . He <a href='negative_concord' title='4'><mark>was</mark></a> <a href='negative_concord' title='5'><mark>not</mark></a>supportive of proposals to build a new soccer facility or financially contributing to tall ships tourism attractions . Because previous councils <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> made funding commitments at the expense of the city <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>reserve funds rather than the tax base , Howard <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>time on council was marked with consistent property tax increases around 3 to 4 % each year . Howard unsuccessfully lobbied other councillors to hire more police officers . He became the subject of a lawsuit , along with other Richmond First councillors , alleging a conflict @-@ of @-@ interest occurred after they approved a rezoning allowing a controversial pub . 
On local issues , Howard was an advocate of opening Richmond to gambling facilities , which led to the River Rock Casino Resort . He was supportive of heritage preservation measures but opposed Richmond  tree preservation bylaw . He was da only one on council preferred the elevated option fa tdaCanada Line ( then known as the Richmond @-@ Airport @-@ Vancouver Line ) , whereas the other councillors preferred the ground level option or no SkyTrain extension at alll . He was an advocate ffabuilding a convention centre and thdaost ardent supporter of removing a 55 @-@ acre piece of land from thedaricultural Land Reserve as a possible location for it , though the daoval was refused . When the possibility of the city constructing a speed @-@ skating oval associated with the 2010 Winter Olympics came , Howard was a vocal supporter . He traveled to Lillehammer , Norway , in 2004 as part of a committee to investigate similar facilities built fofirhe 1994 Winter Olympics . He also traveled to Pierrefonds , Quebec and Asia as part of the sista city program . He ain't supportive of proposals to build a new soccer facility or financially contributing to tall ships tourism attractions . Because previous councils done made funding commitments at the edanse of the city  reserve funds rather than the tax base , Howard  time on council was marked witt consistent property tax increases around 3 to 4 % each year . Howard unsuccessfully lobbied other councillors to hire more police officers . He became the subject of a lawsuit , along w/ other Richmond First councillors , alleging a conflict @-@ of @-@ interest occurred after they approved a rezoning allowing a controversial pub .