To the Editor,
Re: Councillor calls for theatre cost review, Oct. 24.
The free lunch servings continue at city council. And the rest of us keep picking up the tab at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
At the Oct. 21 funding dispersal a whole bunch of councillors said they did not think giving away $34,700 of your money is a big deal, voting to give this sum to Nanaimo Centre Stage for further repair work, costs the Nanaimo Ratepayers Association say could eventually end up running into the millions of dollars. And keep in mind these are for new repair costs in addition to the taxpayer funding already given for other repairs and upkeep since the city purchased the 120-year-old building five years ago – a building which was bought with $460,000 of your public tax money but is only assessed at half that value.
Even more disturbing is theatre president Camela Tang, having the highfalutin attitude of refusing to help do any fundraising, saying it’s the city’s responsibility. The building was bought for the organization by taxpayers and the theatre groups get to occupy and use it for free and even get paid by the city to manage it.
A city hall watcher said each week, council doles out $100,000 of our money in gifts, grants, exemptions and other discretionary funds to all those who simply come knocking.
So remember that, fellow Nanaimoites, when you’re in the poor house or heading to the food bank.
Kevan ShawNanaimo