Dear Editor:
Some thoughts from a lifelong citizen of Elora…
It struck me the other day during a conversation that it’s very strange to be standing in Elora looking at a tower construction crane! Our community is changing for sure; time will tell if this big change is for the good for residents or for big business.
This brings us to the municipal election choices and who is best to lead our township on behalf of the residents/taxpayers.
One would think with all this growth and the collection of development fees and influx of property taxes that our community should be seeing old infrastructure repaired in a timely manner and that our property taxes shouldn’t be increasing. None of which has happened during the current/previous council.
Our outlying bridges closed and back streets are in poor conditions (just to mention a couple of items). One would think with year after year of tax increase/development we would have seen better progress. It really does have a feel that the township has been catering to big business in a quest to make our quaint villages and area a city.
Maybe this is just me not liking big change, but it also makes me think that if we are going to accept this big change/increase in taxes it might be easier to swallow if council better respected their residents.
I truly believe that our present/past council have not represented the residents’ best interest. It showed with all votes always split 3-3 and the mayor always being the fourth “yes.”
So what did all those always yes votes represent? It meant that downtown Elora has changed for the locals and it’s not our village anymore! I also find it interesting that when I look at the choices presented to the municipal election voter that there is only one “yes” voter returning for re-election albeit not as a councillor?
I guess change is inevitable and must be accepted, but I still hold out hope that a newly-elected council will respect the money they receive from the residents in the way of taxes and support.
Barry Wilson,
Elora