To the Editor,
Re: Council facing budget choices, March 6.
One comment from city councillor Fred Pattje struck me in particular, where he tries to diminish Nanaimo’s 2.8-per cent tax increase by saying it isn’t bad compared to other municipalities. We see this same tactic used time and again by municipal governments and trade unions, where they try to qualify their demands, whether they be tax hikes or pay increases, by comparing themselves to others.
My reaction to such comparisons is always the same. If you’re on a sinking ship with a bunch of other people, it doesn’t matter if they’re all standing on the floor and you’re standing on a table, you’re still going down with them all the same.
Or put another way, just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t make it right.
Council should not compare themselves to other municipalities where taxes are concerned, they should dare to be different.
Brendan MillbankNanaimo