Valerie Spink wrote a letter to the (Gazette, June 10) piggybacking on the comments of Bryan Corbett in his letter (Gazette, May 31) stating that Cam MacKay be added to the twosome of Sheena Hughes and Bob Russell referring to them as penny pinchers. The term penny pinchers is rather belittling. The more appropriate words should have been fiscally responsible with a sprinkling of common sense. I suggest that Valerie Spink and Bryan Corbett venture from their comfortable bubble in order to find that not everybody has the resources to fund every whim right away through ever-increasing taxes. It is discouraging to see how people, who just want to live within their means, are being intimidated with name-calling.
There were 6,700 residents who signed a petition which asked council a simple question, namely: If council intended on borrowing $21.9 million to build a branch library and thereby increase everyones’ taxes by 3.4 per cent, then council would ensure that they first seek the opinion of the electorate. Council voted to put the library issue to a plebiscite in the municipal election this fall.
One would anticipate the library board supporters would be fluent in democratic traditions and willing to demonstrate this to the general public. Instead the best some can do is use put downs to describe the “concerned” electorate. Instead of proclaiming that the city is going nowhere because everybody except you “lacks vision,” it may be fruitful to visit the library and brush up on basic democratic principles.
L. Hennigar, St. Albert
