To the Editor,

The City of Port Alberni has just released this year’s 2022 budget proposal included within its five-year financial plan. Some interesting observations are worth noting.

Last year, the city did no road paving at all. This year, only four blocks of paving is planned, one of which is a carryover from 2017. In 2023, only three blocks of paving are planned. With the continuing deterioration of our roads, combined with the lack of funding for paving, the city continues to fall farther and farther behind on road maintenance.

Also within this year’s budget, city council is proposing using $1.6 million from the parks and recreation reserve fund to help finance the Quay-to-Quay path. The city’s own policy for that reserve fund states, “Expenditures from this reserve are limited to the City’s Parks & Recreation properties and facilities.” It certainly is not intended to be used for a path along the tracks.

Last year, council made a big splash about creating a new reserve fund for the pool replacement and put $148,000 into it. In this year’s budget, no money is planned to be added to that fund nor are funds planned to be added over the entire five-year plan. With no money being saved, and using the $1.6 million of parks and recreation reserves for the Quay-to-Quay path, the city is going backwards—spending money that should be saved to help with a pool replacement on a path I think very few people really want.

Are you happy with the way the city is managing your tax dollars?

If not then please make your voices heard during the budget review process before it is passed. Otherwise, they will continue to spend our tax dollars on pet projects and not on what the community really needs and wants.

Randy Fraser,

Port Alberni