Letters to The Province, Aug. 16, 2022: Cities should stick to core services

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I was struck by an interview I heard last week with Brad West, the mayor of Port Coquitlam.

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The increase in property taxes in PoCo was only two per cent as opposed to at least six per cent in Vancouver. West said they kept the tax increase down by focusing on core service spending such as roads, garbage collection, parks, police, emergency and other activities focused on keeping the city safe.

He doesn’t agree that legal challenges of oil companies from cities like Vancouver are part of the core mandate of a municipality.

I must say that as a property owner I agree with West as I have seen similar straying from the core mandate of my city of Burnaby with spending on legal challenges of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, getting into the restaurant business, and other initiatives that are not part of core services or mandate.

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With a municipal election coming this fall, I would encourage all citizens to challenge those running to focus on spending on core programs only, and make a commitment to taxpayers to follow the lead of Brad West to keep expenditures to a minimum of two per cent and eliminate spending on items outside the core mandate of your municipality.

Ron Faust, Burnaby

No cost of living increases

As a retired person who spent his working life in union labour, I question the benefits of requests for percentage cost of living clauses to help members battle inflation.

These type of increases assist the higher-paid employees, but widen the gap for new, lower-paid staff who feel the full affect of higher costs. A union working for all members would be requesting a dollar amount across the board so members affected the most receive help with skyrocketing prices. This form of increase also assists employers trying to find personnel by making entry level positions more attractive.

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A win for both parties.

Les Foulds, Coquitlam

An old golfer’s revenge

Being mocked is a belittling experience that often engenders anger. Often, we later come up with some cutting remarks we wish we had thought of at the time. Sometimes our minds become fixated on revenge.

Last month, I was tidying up our basement storage room with the intention of recycling or repurposing things that had been accumulated over the years but were unlikely to be used again. The first thing I did was move my decades-old golf bag into the furthest corner to get it out of the way. Then I stared at it, recalling numerous exasperating situations those golf clubs had got me into. When I turned away, my imagination conjured up the sound of snickering coming from behind my back. I spun around and glared at the clubs.

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That’s when thoughts of revenge commandeered my mind. I grabbed the bag and headed for the outside shed, which has a workbench. First I secured my driver in the vice and then reached for my hacksaw while vengefully proclaiming, “Off with your heads!” A short time later an assortment of golf club heads littered the floor.

Lately, I have been taking leisurely strolls through my wife’s garden and can’t help smile each time I look at one of her new, shiny-shafted garden stakes. Revenge is sweet, and it has no calories.

Lloyd Atkins, Vernon

Letters to the editor should be sent to [email protected]. 

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