To the editor,
Re: Fire station No. 1 gets go-ahead from public, May 10.
We cannot find anyone who knew anything about a vote for the borrowing of $17 million for a fire hall. Where was this so-called voting held, how was it held and which citizens were notified about it? Were only selected people allowed to vote, and who selected them? Why borrow money before tenders are called? There are no building plans, no drafts, nothing. What a weird way to run a business.
Judith Cashel, Nanaimo
To the editor,
Re: Fire station No. 1 gets go-ahead from public, May 10.
Nanaimo taxpayers did not give their “go-ahead” for a $17-million new fire hall; your headline is wrong. The dictatorial alternate approval process used guarantees the outcome, that residents will always foot the bill when such a lopsided system is used.
This backward piece of non-democratic legislation is known in business circles as negative option billing. It was outlawed in some places after cable TV companies added services then upped the price of your bill. If you did not phone to say you objected you were stuck with the bigger bill.
Sad that the B.C. government allows our municipal politicians to use it.
This new fire hall got rammed through because only 783 citizens had the time and savvy to see this was a predetermined tax grab. The other 6,059 voters needed to quash this travesty of fairness were too busy working, looking after the kids and paying their bills to realize they could have made a difference to their own bottom line.
The city should throw out this trumped-up outcome and hold a referendum to see where taxpayers really stand. The city should be ashamed they rammed $17 million more down our throat tacked to our always increasing tax bills.
J.C. Broderick, Nanaimo
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