Dear editor:

This is an open letter to our elected council members.

In response to an article in the Oct. 10 edition, titled “Annual budget meetings to kick off on Oct. 10” wherein deputy mayor Erwin Wiens expressed concern — and not for the first time — about the legal fees over land development.

I hereby, for the second time via this newspaper, call on our elected officials to release these expenditures to the public.

My first attempt, like so many requests by the taxpaying community, fell on deaf ears. Silence.

This from a council to a man, and woman, during their re-election stump speeches promised, “We will be transparent in our dealings with the electorate.”

To date, this was just another hollow political spin job, like so many others ignored since taking office.

Additionally, the public would be interested in how much our library is requesting for 2025, to support their woke agenda, plus the attendant percentage impact on our next budget.

In 2024, this figure was close to $900,000. Are we now looking at $1 million?

Finally, with respect to raising additional revenues, restaurants within the town that are operating an outside patio should reimburse the town for all or a portion of the lost parking space income.

This additional restaurant outlay is offset by their increased seating capacity. In addition, they can charge our tourists an additional fee to enjoy the outside seating and people-watching experience.

The electorate is fed up with our ever-increasing taxes, at a time when we continue to lose critical infrastructure, for example, our high school, hospital, X-ray facilities, etc.

Samuel Young
NOTL