Dear Editor:
I just have to say something about the proposed tax hike for homeowners in Burnaby. The time has come for city council to start to show some self-restraint for a change. Politicians have to understand that the very people who pay the bills to run the city may not think they are getting their money's worth, if at all!
Everyone is well aware how costs have gotten out of control at all levels of government. We are also very aware that most of the costs are more or less incurred by civil servants' wages and benefits, which seem to me to be far too generous!
I know that Burnaby's city council seems to be made up of well-meaning people. But - and it's a big but - their pro-labour stance seems to blind them whenever new contracts are about to be negotiated with civic unions .
It seems city council has a political philosophy that gives civil servants a hefty raise and pension increase without taking in considering the taxpayers who face ever-higher tax increases to pay for it!
For the rest of us who fund all these raises in salaries and benefits, our raises tend to be far lower than government employees, and here lies the problem with city council.
Council must show some restraint by not giving in to civil servants' demands contract after contract!
We are not a bottomless pit of "easy money" pickings. Governments must show restraint, and that means saying no at times.
Mark Tyson, Burnaby
