Hello again Shari,
Unfortunately it seems you have failed to take some of the good advice I offered in my past letters.
I thought the last mayor was an un-listening fellow, but goodness gracious you have surpassed even that.
You have raised taxes on just about anything that has popped into your head, eg. parking, storm sewer infrastructure, garbage, the list goes on and on.
You have not listened to Haldi Road folks, you have not listened to the majority when it comes to PAC, the core review. I was hoping you had the gumption to stand up to the union and others, and cut some jobs. You have let a lot of people down. They will not be there next time, so I guess do what you can while still able. You should take another trip to China before your time to do it at the expense of taxpayers runs out.
What have my city taxes been paying for, for the last 50 odd years. I thought my sewer, water, garbage, was to maintain the system.
PAC cost a lot of political upheaval last time, but old guys like me forget. Its almost funny, that I work all my life, pay my taxes, try to do the right thing, and in my senior years, I almost have to start work again, to pay to keep living in my home.
I hear the city is going to approach the shopping malls to enforce parking limits there, to help subsidize the new laser reader, and ticket, tow vehicles at the malls. I hope people will get on board and notify the mall owners that they will not accept that. Good move, double the rates for off street parking. That will alleviate the downtown parking problem. I was down there just yesterday and it was plugged, but I noted a lot of paid parking subscribers at meters, just a fluke you say, or a show of displeasure.
Here I am, barely able to make ends meet, and under a constant barrage of new taxes etc. Hope you are enjoying your six-figure income, and perks. But beware us old guys are quickly dying off, and pretty soon the new breed will not pay.
In closing I can not say that I wish you well in your next run at the mayors chair, hopefully it will go to someone with the courage to take the bull by the horns, and start
delivering to the taxpayers.
Your ex-friend
Bill Manders
