Dear editor,

I am a local business and property owner that has concerns regarding not only yearly project spending trends but also staffing levels and compensation of the City of Courtenay and the Comox Valley Regional District employees.

In 2020, during COVID, the City of Courtenay had 87 employees earning more than $75,000, an increase of 28 per cent from 2019 and 112 per cent from 2016. Of those 87 employees,

28 earned over $100,000, an increase of 65 per cent from 2019 and 180 per cent from 2016.

Similarly, the Comox Valley Regional District indicates 72 employees earning more than $75,000, an increase of 33 per cent from 2019 and 112 per cent from 2016. Of those 72, 23 earned over $100,000, an increase of 21 per cent from 2019 and 109 per cent from 2016.

As a taxpayer, I find these numbers and increases in compensation costs alarming. Local businesses and residents are not at all seeing those kinds of increases and can鈥檛 afford the continuing unsustainable tax increases to support this ongoing spending.

All of this is 鈥減ublic information鈥� and available for viewing on the websites of the City of Courtenay and the Comox Valley Regional District. For the City, click on 鈥渃ity hall鈥� and go to 鈥渄ocument library.鈥� For CVRD, click 鈥淎bout鈥� and then 鈥淔inancial.鈥�

I would encourage the citizens of Courtenay, Comox Valley to inform themselves. Review the job titles and the renumeration of various municipal employees. Then compare those salaries with local businesses and employees who struggled and are still struggling during this COVID period.

Phil Diede,

Courtenay