SOUND OFF FOR APR. 14, 2021
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/04/2021 (2021 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Taxes reduced
When the city announced it was actually reducing taxes in the 2021 budget, I wondered to myself where that lost revenue would come from. Now, I don’t like taxes any more than anyone, but in my humble opinion so much could have been achieved with that tax windfall. For example, our streets need serious repair, hire temporary high school and university students for summer jobs because COVID has limited their employment opportunities, etc. This week, I found the city now charges for dumping tree limbs and branches at the landfill. The average household was to receive approximately a $19 reduction in taxes — this week, they “clawed” mine all back with new user fees.
Really BSD?
Come on, BSD board! Really? Hiring two assistant superintendents? Absolutely shameful! BSD staff didn’t even know who one of them was as they were never visible in the schools. The money would be far better spent on teachers to work directly with the kids. Teachers and students are the ones who pay for this! Also, if any hiring is to be done at that level, I hope they’ve learned from their previous past mistakes with their hiring practices and hire locally this time and not go out of the province. We know how that has turned out for the past two superintendents. Maybe they should look back at the character and quality of past superintendents like Les Milne, Bob Swayze and Hilt Stewart. That’s the last time the division ran smoothly and staff morale wasn’t at rock bottom (and it’s not just because of COVID)!
students or politics first?
I find it amusing when our premier starts talking about Bill 64 and refers to himself and his family history of being in the teaching profession. Unless they have been teaching in the last 15 years, they are not relevant to today’s schooling. Our premier himself taught three years (1976-79) and was a union rep! This does not make him an expert! What is wrong with sitting down with teachers and experts to have a discussion? Is it an ego thing? Also when someone has a dislike for unions, how can the teachers and also Hydro workers negotiate a fair contract? By the way, you are also welcome for the raise we gave to our overpaid politicians on April 1. Some feel so good donating the taxpayer’s money back under their names.