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Taxpayers’ money misspent

When will we have a council that knows how to be transparent and spend the taxpayers’ money in the interest of the taxpayers?

To the Editor,

After sharing a conversation with a friend, I have come to the conclusion that multiple Nanaimo city councils and the Port Authority have made and continue to make decisions that are drastically short-sighted and not in the best or long-term interest of people who live here and pay taxes.

The conference centre, cruise ship dock and centre, and the privatization of the boat basin, all built for other people – not the people who live here. All costing millions of dollars to construct and the need to be subsidized to keep them going. All paid for by the taxpayers.

What the heck are they doing?

Why did we build a conference centre before securing the hotel?

Why did we build a cruise ship dock when the industry was in decline due to the economy?

Why are they taking away our working harbour full of character? Why are we giving away our boat basin to be a parking lot for people who don’t live or work here?

Nanaimo has the potential to be a really interesting, different city capable of attracting lots of people, but that is not the direction our city council or port authority seem to want to take it.

It’s becoming a place for smart business people to make money on poorly thought out expenditures, private closed door deals and folks who have no other place to park their insanely expensive yachts.

When will we have a council that knows how to be transparent and spend the taxpayers’ money in the interest of the taxpayers? Come on folks, remember, you work for us.

Sarah J. Clark

Nanaimo