Dear Editor,
I have lived in Burnaby for 30 years. It has been a great community and I am proud to call it home. But it’s time to rethink what our municipal government really provides. We have all benefited from huge real estate gains, which has also helped to line the coffers of Burnaby City Hall.
Assessments have eliminated the homeowners’ grant for many, which has been a huge windfall for Burnaby.
Can someone at city hall please let us taxpayers know how much extra that has contributed to the bank at city hall.
Huge residential tower developments at Brentwood, SOLO and soon at Lougheed mall area as well as Dairyland and old Telus property at Bainbridge. Plus commercial and industrial development along the Fraser and in Lake City.
Our billon-dollar rainy day contingency fund will continue to grow, and that is great, however, when do the property tax increases stabilize? I have not seen my services change at all in the last 30 years. Sure roads, parks, community centres, etc. are taken care of, but that is all part of the annual budget expenditures.
Where are the meaningful budget changes being made at city hall to help reduce the tax burden on Burnaby citizens? How about a wage freeze for all municipal workers?
There is more than enough in the bank, Your Worship Corrigan, time to show us citizens some bold financial leadership.
Victor Evans, Burnaby
