Dear Editor:
RE: Centre Wellington facing 7.4% tax increase for 2024, Dec. 14.
A tax increase of 7.4 per cent for a total of $4,696 in taxes for the year is totally ridiculous to ask taxpayers to pay.
A time when people are struggling to pay mortgages and put food on the table (and food is to increase by 4.5% next year) is not a time to play catch-up, as CAO Dan Wilson said. I guess when you are on the Sunshine List like Wilson, or have two high-paying jobs like councillors, this is pocket change.
This council just started the job and already has given itself a raise. It’s time for taxpayers to ask councillors and the mayor to resign.
All township employees on the Sunshine List should have a cut in pay. And when does the bridges and culverts levy end? It was supposed to be for five years and is now permanent.
The township is overloaded with staff already and now they want to hire 14 more to reduce the need to hire consultants? This never happens. They hired consultants to do a parking study – how ridiculous is that?
The Fergus and Elora BIAs want taxpayers to pay for all their closed-door events. A $50,000 loan for Christmas lights? That’s important and will be forgiven, I’m sure. Let the BIAs get off their rear ends and do some fundraising instead of expecting taxpayers to cover everything. Ask the township to loan you money to pay your taxes and put food on the table and you know what the answer will be.
Tell your councillor “no” to this tax increase and tell them to resign.
And council needs to stop giving handouts to companies who buy up old buildings in Elora and stop giving tax breaks to Pearle.
J. Alexander,
Fergus