Editor: On April 27, council was to discuss the newest proposed project – waste to energy. The cost of this project is estimated at $160 million. However, in 2021 when it was first brought to light, it was $75 million.
When I questioned our CFO, Gord Quinton, he stated that the $75 million was the concept cost, now we have the real budget. That’s more than double!
He also said that Chatham-Kent’s investment is $16 million which comes from our GIC investments so no cost to the taxpayers. Seriously – no cost to the taxpayers? Who funded the GIC to start with? Taxpayers!
Just like the Hub and other projects that use money from the “reserves” so taxes won’t be increased. Who put the money into the reserves? You guessed it, the taxpayers. And who is going to replenish the reserves? Again, the taxpayers.
So, in the span of a year or so, they are asking us to support the Hub at $52 million, waste to energy at $160 million, and possibly a new arena at $210 million. Let’s take a step back.
Just one year ago, council stopped dust suppression on the gravel roads, then realized they’d made a mistake and brought it back. Perhaps they should be driving some of these roads and they’d realize they also need a lot of road maintenance too.
Let’s put our hard-earned tax dollars where they are really needed.
The taxpayers are getting fed up with “pie-in-the-sky” legacy concepts. We are not made of money and we don’t have millions of citizens like the GTA to help fund grandiose ideas. It’s time to take care of what we already own.
Similar to “how much wood can a wood chuck chuck……..” How much tax can a taxpayer be taxed when the taxpayers are taxed to the max? This should be the new C-K mantra.
Here’s another suggestion – get out of your offices and talk to your constituents. Find out what they really need.
Karen Pynenbrouck
Chatham-Kent
