Editor:
Re: Bonuses send ‘wrong message,’ Aug. 29.
I was disturbed to read about the extravagant compensation packages for executives at the BC Ferries Corporation – at a time when the corporation mulls over service cuts and fare increases.
Earlier in the month we read about pay increases for the executives at TransLink (TransLink salaries on rise, Aug. 20), then were informed of a plan to increase the provincial sales tax to resolve TransLink’s well publicized financial woes (Transit advocates call for 0.5% sales tax, Aug. 29), and for the past year have been treated to numerous revelations about the bloated expenditures of our government-appointed senators.
While the initial cost of these rags-to-riches stories is borne by individual taxpayers, it is our democratic system that will ultimately suffer for such misguided spending by our political leaders.
While no one likes to pay taxes, we will support governments that levy them, as long as we see the money being used for the common good. When we lose faith in our politicians’ ability or willingness to ensure that our taxes are spent for the benefit of all, and not the profit of an elite few, people become cynical and apathetic, and withdraw from the political process, not even bothering to vote.
We need our elected representatives at every level of government to work harder to identify and eliminate the legal loopholes that allow the abuse of our financial trust to continue.
Donald Fleming, White Rock