To the Editor,
I have read, even an editorial, that the school board must file a balanced budget. There is fear and expectation that a failure will result in the firing of the board and replacement by an appointee.
That was done once, decades ago. The appointee as I recall worked to a budget not all that different to the one that cited for the dismissals. What I find shameful, is that our community did not challenge that minister, for violating our sovereign district right.
In our Westminster model of democracy an elected member can only be removed by that member’s electoral district’s electorate. Our common laws hold sacred elected representatives. Only a trial, conviction, and incarceration for a crime keeps one from elected duties.
If the School Act demands a balanced budget it is only correct that the minister fund the local trustees with the reasonable funds that are requisitioned. Recall that a past minister removed the taxation powers from our local elected trustees.
There must be negotiating room left within the minister’s care to accommodate all the local needs across the province. If that is not the case then it is the criminal negligence, or a deliberate ideological intention of the minister to short change our children’s educational need.
I see it as a tax theft from our collective B.C. communitiess’ needs.
A theft that appears to be applied to corporation’s profits exchanged for nothing to our population’s benefit. Why is not the minister in jail?
Dee Shoolingin,
Duncan