To the editor:
The public was forewarned “delusion and deception” are common in the year of the water snake, so it is not surprising that the 2014 city budget was prepared in the Year of the Snake.
While I can be handed a notice from city hall not to trespass on City Hall property, conveniently the same day that public post budget deputations were to be held, I still have the press that will allow me to speak.
The mayor, council and administration neglect to mention that they will continue to have us make a $2.3 million payment on a debenture that was retired.
That payment would be worth a 1.44 per cent decrease in the tax levy, but they are keeping it.
That is the delusion and deception I see.
Another sleight of hand is not to include Phase 2 of the Golf Links/Junot reconstruction in the 2014 budget. The article quite clearly states there will be $11.7 million in road improvements, but no mention of the $8.2 million cost for phase 2 of Golf Links/Junot.
The deception and delusion is that the payments for the debenture for Golf Links /Junot would not begin till 2017,and thus not affect the budget this year.
This mayor and council in an election have agreed to defer making a $500,000 contribution to a reserve that is to cover under funded liabilities.
So we are buying the snowmobile (Golf Links/Junot) and ice auger (reserve contribution) and do not have to make payments till 2017.
In the meantime we have $22 million in the Renew Fund for an events centre, but we have to borrow for Phase 2 of Golf Links/Junot a pilot Renew Thunder Bay project.
Are we borrowing for Phase 2 of Golf Links/Junot to avoid having a plebiscite for the event center which the mayor promised if we had to debenture it. Are we putting our needs ahead of our wants? Do this mayor, council and administration suffer from BSOS (Bright Shiny Object Syndrome)?
On a final note when Conrad Boychuk of CEI Architecture gave his presentation on the repurposing of the Fort William Gardens, there was a line in his presentation that stated.
"Museums require operational subsidies and has a significantly more limited ability to generate revenue". So why for the love of God would this council even consider moving the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (TBAG) at this time?
There should be a plebiscite on the ballot in the upcoming election, not to incur the expense of having one at any other time, that considers.
1.Need for an event center at this time.
2. Location of any proposed event center.
3.Need to relocate and build a new TBAG at this time.
The citizens of Thunder Bay deserve to be heard not dictated to, demand it of your mayor and council to ensure it can be prepared before the deadline date so it can be put on the ballot.
Henry Wojak,
Thunder Bay
