To the editor,
Re: Nanaimo mayor and council salaries going up, Dec. 20.
When I moved to Nanaimo many years ago, the high property taxes were a surprise to me, especially considering the small size of Nanaimo at that time.
Last year, a Vancouver news station published a list of property taxes received in particular cities in British Columbia for a house valued at a particular price. Although the City of Nanaimo was not on the list, I realized that, per capita, we pay higher taxes than the cities listed.
As I read that the current council is increasing their salary to stay at par with other city councils of similar size in our province, I ask myself why, instead, they do not look in depth as to the reason our taxes are already so high.
As well, to use the main reason that single parents might be more willing to run for office if they make more money is assuming that those folks would put the amount of money they receive as the priority reason for running for a seat on council. This does not mean that I do not believe that some remuneration is important in this role. However, many people in this community sit as members of numerous boards as well as volunteer in a myriad of other ways to demonstrate their caring and commitment to the community and either do not receive salaries or what they receive is not a motivating factor in wanting to serve.
I think council needs to spend their first few months in office addressing the issues that they were voted in to address before looking for more money for themselves.
Maureen Dore, Nanaimo
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