To the Editor,
As we begin another budget cycle, from my perspective, a familiar theme emerges.
Over the years, and past budget cycles, we have continually heard “we have aging infrastructure” like a broken record. Yet very little was done to address the problem.
Now we have a new buzz word, “infrastructure deficit”, but the problem is the same.
Unfortunately, city councils, past and present, have talked the talk but always deferred the problem to keep taxes low. And in the end, our tax increases barley kept up with inflation. That was great for taxpayers, but our city assets continued to deteriorate.
So reserves were used to help balance budgets and fund projects. This council is no different. The city took on big projects, building a path and buying the Somass mill, using up even more reserves.
No point in rehashing what’s been done. We have a path and hopefully we can make a few dollars on the sale of the mill property one day. The devil will be in the details for the latter. Especially what the developer may want from the city regarding off-site improvements, utility upgrades, fees and Development Cost Charges (DCC) relief.
Our dwindling reserves have now forced the city to implement larger tax increases and this year is no exception. If not for Premier David Eby’s $5 million growing communities fund allotment, we would be in a much more serious financial situation.
Unfortunately, we used $1 million of that windfall to hire consultants to develop “master plans” for all city departments. How many of those plans will end up on the shelf because we can’t afford to implement them?
Past mistakes and mismanagement have now come home to roost. Large tax increases and service cuts appear to be on the horizon.
Randy Fraser,
Port Alberni
