Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Your July 4 Canada Day celebrations article digressed very quickly from celebrating Canada Day to what one can only describe as an attempt to start a controversy when there is none.
You use such phrases as “rural-urban stand-off” and “divisive campaign that will be rural interest against urban interests” could hardly be further from the truth. At the 2014 budget meeting and the policing proposals meeting, I didn’t hear any “we versus them” comments.
In fact, as tax payers, we are united in our concerns about the way council and the administration has not taken in account the seriousness of our tax situation. During the four (4) years of the five (5) year plan to bring the municipality back to financial stability, our municipal taxes rose seventy-two percent (72%).
During that time, staff increased by eight (8) positions or fifteen (15%). They had the opportunity to reduce the number of staff when positions became vacant, but instead created new positions.
During that time, staff and council approved the building of a one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) fire training building. There was no business plan describing the financial basis for the building and the benefits of such a venture when council asked the tax payer to cover the 72% increase in taxes.
During that time, the council continued with a lawsuit with a tax paying cottager. It would eventually cost the tax payers one million, six hundred thousand dollars ($1.6 million). When you would ask the average tax payer if the cause of this lawsuit (right to walk on beach properties) would impact their daily life, they’d probably say no. That $1.6 million would buy more gravel or asphalt for our roads.
I hope this helps you see the us vs. them is not what you think. It is the tax payers aligned for better, more responsible government.
Sincerely,
Douglas Robinson, Leith
