Dear editor,

I saw the tax increase the municipal government is imposing on us again this year.

Last year a 9.6% increase and this year 7.5%. That translates to a $545.24 increase last year and $476 this year for my family.

The population of Courtenay has doubled in the last 25 years meaning the tax base has doubled, but infrastructure has not kept up. How has this money been distributed and how long can we keep these types of increases going?

This was well answered when I read about the pedestrian/cycle bridge being pushed by council. I know of no one who agrees with this, meaning this is a pet project of council, not of taxpayers. How about a referendum on this during the next council elections, and not one of those fixed votes (alternate approval process) where, if you鈥檙e not available to vote, it鈥檚 the same as a yes vote?

Having a pet project like this being pushed by council onto taxpayers during a time of high inflation, high food prices, high mortgage rates etc. is a sign of being totally out of touch with the needs of families and all constituents. Is this what council thinks citizens of this community need to ease their financial stress?

What council needs to do is give their heads a good shake, and take a look of the lives of the people they are supposed to be representing. If they did this they would realize what a wasteful and unnecessary project this is. (I sent a letter to the editor after the huge increase last year asking council to justify the increase which was above the annual inflation rate but there was no response.)

Where has common sense and responsible fiscal management gone?

Bill Johnston,

Courtenay