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Municipal election a chance to have say

We are all responsible for the quality of government we have.

To the Editor,

We are all responsible for the quality of government we have.

The fact that only 27 per cent of the eligible voters even voted in the last city election says volumes.

And that was a week after Remembrance Day. Disgraceful. By not voting, people are saying: “I don’t remember why so many died … or, I don’t care.”

When we abdicate our civic and citizen responsibilities, others, often with greedy motives, will take advantage. The special interest groups have an easier time getting their puppet candidates elected.

Candidates cater more to the interests who get their vote out. Such groups rarely correlate to the greater community good. All too often their focus is siphoning as much tax money for their pet purposes and colleagues as possible. Slates of puppet candidates are elected by the special interest voting blocks because true independents refuse to pre-commit their votes to questionable budget items. The Victoria Road theatre repair cost decision is a prime example of selling out to special interests.

Low voter turnout practically ensures councils dominated by slates of ‘pre-owned’ councillors.

If you want councils that decide issues on their merits you better learn who the hidden parties and their slates are. Either that or sit back and watch the wasteful spending spiral higher, taking your taxes with it. Special interests love it when you don’t vote.

Gary KorpanNanaimo