To the Editor,
Re: Council adopts budget, March 17.
I would like to know how much of our property taxes are spent on the essentials: roads, sewer, water, police, fire, street lights, etc.
I would then like to know how much is spent on non-essential ventures like all the tax money and tax breaks given to the Port Theatre, E&N Rail line, associations, non-profit groups and so forth.
Your news story says we’ll see a tax increase of $74.41 this year on the average $350,000 home, as the city increases our taxes by four per cent so it can have an operating budget of $160 million.
Considering taxes went up roughly the same last year and seem to be going up every year, I’m wondering what non-essential services could be cut back, since my salary remains the same year after year and I am losing buying power with everything constantly rising.
Can’t someone among all those 48 people at city hall making over $100,000 a year and the politicians we vote for make cuts to help those of us they’re supposed to serve?
Frank Mendelson
Nanaimo