Dear editor,

Re: Bill Johnston letter When will the City of Courtenay cut back on spending?

I have been railing against the city鈥檚 unrestrained spending habits leading to unsustainable tax increases for years! Mayor and council don鈥檛 seem willing to rein in unabated spending or have any regard towards taxpayers.

Reckless spending on the 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 that be nice鈥� projects benefiting a very small section of the population seems to be their direction. The city is quick to mention grant monies and that鈥檚 great for core infrastructure only but not for the 鈥淚 want that鈥� spending.

I implore the city leadership to spend citizens鈥� tax money with the same prudence as spending their own. Shouldn鈥檛 the city鈥檚 CAO, earning over $203,000, be tasked with finding savings and implementing cuts?

I would encourage all citizens to search the city鈥檚 website, click on 鈥渃ity hall,鈥� then click on 鈥渄ocuments library鈥� then go to 鈥�2022 statement of financial information鈥漰age 32, have a close look at overlapping manager titles and associated remunerations.

I think people will be surprised to learn that in 2022, 86 staff made over $75,000 (up 26.5 per cent from 2019), 41 of those made over $90,000 (up 21 per cent, from 2019) and 30 earned over $100,000 (up 78 per cent from 2019).

Phil Diede,

Courtenay