… but then who would hire them?

We now know the truth behind the proposed 2 cents a litre gas tax – it is all about allowing the mayor, city council and senior city staff to continue feasting at the city’s salary trough even though the state of Abbotsford’s roads demonstrates both incompetence and irresponsible behaviour.

“There would be outrage and all of us (at city hall) would soon be seeking other daytime jobs,’ predicted the mayor. “Nine percent isn’t going to fly.”

The gas tax is so the mayor, city council and city staff will be able to go with a deceptively lower property tax increase in next budget and thus keep stuffing their pockets with taxpayer dollars.

Why is the City of Abbotsford and its taxpayers facing this road fiasco?

“It’s so easy for councils to get into postponing roads as a way to balance budgets” he (Mayor Peary) said.

In other words the mayor and city council were focused not on what was needed for Abbotsford to thrive as a city, but on what would get them re-elected and allow them to continue to collect their salaries. Salaries that they clearly did not earn or deserve in light of their failure to take care of city business on behalf of the citizens of Abbotsford.

Given the behaviour of city council and city staff one cannot help but wonder if the reason for all this talk of roads and maintenance is because of council seeking some rational for their proposed gas tax?

Remember that there are numerous other financial issues and needs that the City of Abbotsford needs millions of dollars of increased revenue to cover or fund.

Regretfully it is clear that those responsible for the sad state of affairs and finances in our city, lack the honour and integrity to resign. Of course if they had honour and integrity Abbotsford would not be facing the critical situations it is.

For Your Information – Mayor Peary, city council and city staff: whether it is a gas tax or property tax it is coming out of taxpayer’s pockets.

It is clear that Abbotsford City Hall has failed, year after year, budget after budget, to act responsibly or with due care for the City of Abbotsford and its taxpayers. When the consequences of their irresponsible actions become unavoidable what is the response?

A proposed gas tax as they seek to avoid responsibility for their previous bad management by hiding the true magnitude of the tax raise needed, in order that they can continue to hold onto their jobs and collect their extravagant salaries. Salaries that the state of Abbotsford’s roads, other lacking infrastructure and finances demonstrate were neither earned nor deserved.

With a mayor, city council and city staff whose actions, over many years, are based on holding onto their jobs and collecting their unmerited salaries taxpayers can place no trust on any of their statements as to the true state the City of Abbotsford is in.

I will be writing to our local MLA’s and the Premier to urge them to say NO to the gas tax and force, at least in this matter, Abbotsford City Hall to answer in some small manner for their actions.

I will also be asking our MLA’s and the Premier, in light of the demonstrated fact that Abbotsford City Hall has been making decisions based not on what the City of Abbotsford needs but on what will allow them to hold onto their jobs and get re-elected and the reality that therefore citizens can place no faith in any statements or claims made as to the actual state of affairs for the City of Abbotsford, to have the Auditor General do a full examination of the financial records and the state of the City of Abbotsford.

It has become clear that this is the only way that the people paying the bills will find out how matters truly stand for the City of Abbotsford.

I urge all other citizens to write, fax, e-mail and call our MLA’s and the Premier to demand that they act responsibly and in the best interests of the citizens of Abbotsford by saying NO to the gas tax and having the Auditor General conduct an examination of the City of Abbotsford and report the true sate of affairs to the citizens of Abbotsford.

It is time to lift the veil of secrecy, open the closed doors and let the citizens of Abbotsford know accurately and truthfully what shape our City is in.