City hall needs thorough audit, from top to bottom
Editor:
The city’s generous $100,000 loan/gift to Western Canada Theatre for upgrades to Pavilion Theatre is a slap in the face to struggling taxpayers who have endured cost increases on pretty much everything in the last couple years.
A lot of people don’t have the luxury to enjoy even annual cost-of-living increases in their wages, as do city employees.
When they say a dollar from each ticket will go to pay off the loan, I immediately wondered why the theatre company didn’t have a dollar from every ticket saved up and how they can start now if they couldn’t afford to before.
Will they raise the cost of a ticket by a dollar and then, when attendance drops due to cost to theatregoers, have an excuse as to why they cannot repay the money?
Meanwhile, when local cadets asked council for a tiny loan for a new furnace, they were told to take a hike.
Those youngsters could be the future military or police serving and protecting our nation.
The city is bantering about a three-plus per cent property-tax increase to make up for all the years when taxpayers did not receive big tax increases and to fund substantial increases in other fees and services provided by the city.
Byron McCorkell, the city’s parks, recreation and cultural services director, claims he has no money in his budget to replace the roof on the Canada Games Aquatic Centre.
Why didn’t he stash away surplus budget money to cover these types of expenses?
I would like to see the entire city get audited.
If the audit proves money is being spent properly, city management can be proud and show us they are doing a good job.
How are regular people living in this city on fixed incomes and employed by struggling businesses expected to feed the rich, who claim every year they cannot survive without cost-of-living increases?
Kim Young
Kamloops
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.