Mar 2010

By Bill Knott, Portage la Prairie
Posted 2 months ago

Portage la Prairie city council has proposed a 7.5 per cent increase to an already massive budget.

Coun. Dave Quinn, chairman of the finance committee for the past 12 years, needs to answer a question: When were the citizens of this city consulted?

All councillors and the mayor, in this civic election year, need to ask themselves this question: Will I run in October and get elected if I vote to approve this budget, when I have consulted nobody in the city?

At a council meeting last year, Coun. Dave Quinn stated the city had, at some time ago, had public meetings but no one came, and it was a waste of time.

That justifies not having public consultations before presentation of a budget?

If this council and mayor pass this huge 7.5 per cent increase in the annual budget, knowing that the national inflation rate is less than 2.5 per cent and that the Bank of Canada prime lending rate is 0.5 per cent and that loans are available for 2.5 per cent, then the citizens of this city should rise up in October and throw these rascals out! All of them.

If this is real, I say “Go! You have served your time!”

Bill Knott

Portage la Prairie

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