Dear Editor:
We watched a very old political trick be performed by the City of Yorkton council. Recently, On December 14, 2015, a committee of the whole meeting decided to table their budget and then brought it forward January 2016 for adoption — why the lapse? Why at the most busy time of year for most families? Was it to sincerely provide residents with an opportunity to openly ask questions or query the contents — or was it an attempted illusion of transparency?
Council has told us in the past that when economic times are good, more revenue is need to keep up or manage the new growth; when economic times are bad, more tax revenue is needed to sustain the basic necessities of our community — really? Somehow whatever the economic situation is it can always be addressed with higher taxes instead of city council leadership.
Council makes the statement that this year’s budget cycle was difficult due to revenue deficiencies and capital project needs-but this has been the same rhetoric after the last 5 years in above average economic times. We have seen an average of over 5% tax increases supposedly for the exact same reason. It is more likely the problem we all face as taxpayers is revenue mismanagement by council.
The new economic realities that we face as a community are very serious and the tough decisions that lay ahead require leadership — not the same old worn out excuses that always lead to council needing to remove more money from your pocket.
Raymond Bucsis
Yorkton
