Dear Editor:
Regarding your Aug. 10 story, Spending on Muni Suppliers Hits $270M: What part of the word "cut" do local and other governments not understand?
I've been running a small manufacturing company for 17 years, and the past three years have been extremely challenging. Low margins and overseas and local competition have forced us to cut wages, cut travel, cut out the coffee service, cut out the water service and lay people off.
At this point in my life, it's tempting to close down the business and retire. If I wait until I'm 65, I'll have approximately $3,500 income (from RRSPs and CPP), of which the City of North Vancouver will take $400 per month just for property taxes. It's no wonder local citizens are irate at governments who squander our money.
It's time to cut, cut, cut. Do we need three city halls between Deep Cove and Horseshoe Bay? Do we need to change the flowers on Grand Boulevard several times per season? Do we need a new Ford F150 pickup truck and driver to remove the garbage on Sunday afternoon from the local soccer field? What's the cost of that? How many fire halls are on the North Shore? Too many? Maybe, maybe not.
Governments need to spend my money as if it is their money.
Maybe the three mayors of the North Shore could offer some advice to its citizens: How we are all going to survive for the next several years.
Dave Short North Vancouver
