Violent crime and what critics say is the city's relatively low financial commitment to fighting it has turned one of the mayor's main political allies against her.
Councillor Barinder Rasode announced Thursday morning she is quitting the mayor’s Surrey First civic party to run as an independent in the coming November elections.
“Instead of engaging me, the team has decided to isolate me. They had a meeting as the Surrey First group without me and I was still at that point a member,” she said.
Following the robbery and murder of Julie Paskall outside of Newton Arena and the vicious beating of an elderly man in a nearby park, Rasode has been critical of her colleagues when it comes to fighting crime.
She accuses the city of overspending on big ticket projects such as the brand new $97-million city hall while spending less per capita on policing than many other Metro Vancouver cities.
Mayor Watts refused to appear on camera to address the issue, instead sending Councillor Linda Hepner who accused Councillor Rasode of electioneering.
“We’re six months out of an election so I think her motivation is political,” she told reporters Thursday.
But Councillor Rasode denied she is planning a run for mayor herself.
“In all honesty, if my goal were running for mayor, it would have been easier to do in a well-funded team,” she said.
As divisions form in the lead-up to the civic elections in November, there is speculation Watts is planning to leave city politics to run for the Conservatives in Surrey.
On the violent crime front, the murder of Julie Paskall and the attack on the elderly man, like many other crimes, remain unsolved.
With files from CTV's Lisa Rossington
