The Editor,
A letter to Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart:
I am totally against a new tax or fee to help pay for unaffordable transit or SkyTrain expansion plans for the Lower Mainland. We are already taxed to the max from various levels of government and it’s time those in power start to think about spending tax money more prudently and work toward controlling spending.
I also believe it’s time for serious consideration of amalgamation of the five municipalities in the Tri-Cities: Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra.
Taxpayers are paying for so much duplication of services in these areas and, if politicians were truly concerned for their constituents, they would work together in these areas in order to control spending and minimize waste.
Money is scarce for the average taxpayer. Seniors are living on minimal pensions and private sector wages and benefits are not keeping up with those in the public sector. This cannot continue for much longer without serious problems for many of us. Those of us fortunate enough to be homeowners may be sitting on properties with inflated values but it doesn’t mean a thing until we sell or are forced to sell as we cannot afford to live in the Lower Mainland any longer.
I enjoy my life in Coquitlam and have seen a great deal of positive growth and change in the 35-plus years I’ve lived here. I’ve made lots of friends, enjoyed the many conveniences the city and region have to offer, and would like to remain here. I’m concerned that we have not been given the consideration we deserve from all levels of government in terms of keeping costs and taxes under control.
A suggestion you may wish to ponder is to convince the powers that be to launch a lottery or other such means of raising funds to help pay for future SkyTrain and bridge and road expansion rather than to levy road congestion pricing, bridge or road tolls, which would be a strain on the budgets of the average driver, taxpayer, homeowner and renter.
Ken Dopson, Coquitlam
