Letter to the Editor
Editor,
I wept with envy as I read the Monday Sun Times article about the excellent financial picture that exists in Georgian Bluffs. I live in former Sydenham, now part of Meaford.
Georgian Bluffs operates on fewer than half the staff that we are told we need–to govern and manage the same sized population. Half our taxes go towards salaries and benefits for our bloated bureaucracy, and the current council will do nothing to lower personnel–levies for the municipality (excluding county and schools part) are around $12 million so we pay $6 million for staff (our CAO is well into the sunshine list).
We in the rural areas are patted on the head and told, “Don’t worry, all this spending on the Hall, the town, the harbour, the library, the parks and rec, the beauty with flowers etc and on and on, will in turn increase the tax base (i.e. more residents and business) and thus lower our taxes” Meanwhile, our roads crumble and taxes climb.
These wild spending councillors must think we are all complete idiots. Who will want to move to an area with such high taxes and pot holed roads? Our staff could be lowered by at least 10 people for a start and operate just fine. We did it not so many years ago.
All voters should vote for candidates who believe in lowering this huge bureaucracy, and ONLY those who do. Ask your candidates the big question, folks. ” Will you lower the size of staff?”
Sincerely,
Peggy Richardson, Leith
