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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: City council needs to spend wisely

Hold on to your wallets, taxpayers, says letter writer
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Maybe it’s time to start more carefully evaluating the cost and outcome effectiveness of the over $200 million the city spends annually, says letter writer. (News Bulletin file photo)

To the editor,

Re: City budget deliberations start with 6.2-per cent tax hike, Nov. 30.

In this era of big, progressive government, hold on to your wallets, taxpayers. Especially in Nanaimo. I learned recently that the city spent nearly half a million dollars to build a washroom at Neck Point Park. No wonder budget deliberations are ‘starting’ at 6.2 per cent with added spending of nearly $8 million. No wonder my property taxes have jumped 29 per cent since 2018.

Maybe it’s time to start more carefully evaluating the cost and outcome effectiveness of the over $200 million the city spends annually. Are we getting value for the not inconsiderable sums spent on planners, plans, consultants, and studies? Might we have to delay or reduce planned expenditures? Government is not about making decisions so much as making choices. Let’s hope our new city council chooses to spend wisely.

Les Barclay, Nanaimo

READ ALSO: Nanaimo city council concludes budget deliberations with 7.3-per cent tax increase


The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press Media or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

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