It seems like deja vu all over again.
Remember back in the 1960s and 1970s when Cadillac Fairview needed the city to help finance their business venture?
Sounds about the same with the Marriott group. Somewhat less money but same story, all at the taxpayer's expense. We should not be financing private enterprise. I know my tax dollars would be better spent on city matters.
I would hope we all would also remember what happened to the mayor and council that was for Cadillac Fairview, come the following election, In case anyone does not remember, most were voted out the following year. I would hope the outcry should be the same here.
Same story, smaller amount, and to tie the hands of future administrations is reprehensible.
The excuse of making more revenue for the city and jobs, etc. you must realize private enterprise generally will come on their own, if it is a viable endeavor. If it is a little fuzzy, that is when they ask for city (taxpayer) help, but if it is shakey, most major corporations, unless they can get the money, will wait for other economic conditions.
It is time this city and others stop playing with the tax dollars that also pay their wages. The bottomless money pit is waning. This $3.2 million could have gone to snow removal, as I know we will hear after the new year that the snow budget is done. Oh wait, we have not had any snow yet, but this is the city that runs trucks and equipment around when there is no snow. A city councilor told me a few years ago that they had to, as the men are on payroll, so we had to put them out, whether they do work or not.
Lyn Hall, I have refrained from writing over the past year or so, but you have awakened the sleeping bear.
Now hopefully you will start to listen.
Bill Manders
Prince George
Editor's note: The $3.2 million would be pulled from a downtown revitalization fund created by Northern Development Initiative Trust, not from city coffers.
