EDITORIAL

WHERE DOES IT END!!!

Over the past 8 years, our civic administration has run amok with spending and all under the watchful eye of our council! Watchful may not be correct as it appears they simply haven’t been aware or somehow think citizens are flush with cash for the plucking (note that that’s “pl” in case you misunderstood)!

First, a much needed new West/North extension to circle drive resulted in a 6% tax hike (remember then mayor Atchison telling us how it’s worth it) followed by the palatial, oversized, police station complete with above and underground parking for another 6% (new shooting range extra) but, keep in mind, that was substantially reduced by the whopping $2 million we received from the old station’s sale! Oh, and did we mention one other cost we’ve heard nothing about is that of the ongoing leases trailing behind the city police force after they moved into their new digs! Yes, until the completion of their palace, they were scattered about the city in long term leases.

Then there’s the multi-million$ bus barns ostensibly to accommodate that rapid transit system from never never land, but again its cost will be reduced substantially by the $4 million from the pending sale of the old barn!

Now, there’s the new Library, approximated to cost “only” $134 million (oddly, the same as the freeway addition and police station were each predicted to cost before their overruns) which will no doubt translate to nearly $200 million but, once again reduced by the substantial $4 million from the pending sale of the old library.

All this and, now, a new multi-purpose facility and surrounding improvements to other existing facilities going downtown at a projected cost of (wait for it) $350 million before the effects of inflation (that can’t be much!).

Altogether, past and present expenditures (oh sorry, “investments”) come to approximately $800 million before those windfall profits from the sales of old properties of +-$10 million.

Yes, we should have had a referendum on each of these but, of course, the prospect of losing is simply too much to bear so, the only true referendum our city fathers understand is the one on election day and that one’s rather final. Tragically, the administration, however, will live on to another day, er, I mean another project!!!

Meanwhile, taxpayers are left to ponder the obvious, wherever has this year’s $52 million shortfall and next year’s $23 million come from and what can we sell to recoup $500,000 of it. Oh, I know, we can sell Sask-Tel Centre! Nope, sorry, it’s the new city hall!!! Yes, you heard right, yet to come is the announcement of the new city hall!!! Yes, it is inevitable because the civic administration is hooked on spending! Sorry, spending on snow removal on residential streets will have to wait as it’s not in the budget!!!