Attention Mayor Nolan Crouse:
I moved here in September 2010 but have lived in the area for 40 years.
I am a mother and grandmother and I have driven in Alberta since 1974. I received on my front step my second photo radar ticket this week. I recommend that you and the people you hire stop stealing money — the tickets are $110 and $136, so the total is $246. This is stealing my money!
The City of St. Albert is hungry for photo radar revenue (I recommend all citizens sign a real petition to stop this practice).
I have noticed people drink too much and drugs are used more when driving. I came to St. Albert in 1967 and it sure has changed. The police should and must do a better job now, in 2010. I lived in Morinville for 30 years but I wanted to live in St. Albert to be close to my mother, who is 97 years old. My grandchildren also live here.
I made a mistake moving here. This city does not welcome people. St. Albert wants our money and you steal it in many ways. You are wasting my money and your time to ask me to pay up the money.
This is not a democratic society in this city — communism is really happening. I am not celebrating Christmas because I have to pay the city the $246 I wanted to give to churches and people of other faiths.
I have talked to many people since I moved here and they say this is how the city does business. Municipal property taxes are too high and must decrease because you spend and waste money every year. Why are my taxes $4,300? I am a senior, a middle-class citizen, so I am going to ask you many questions about municipal taxes.
You, Mr. Mayor of St. Albert, must prepare a new budget for 2011. I believe in a democratic public system to provide all senior citizens our freedom and rights.
In 1960, the premier of Alberta, the Hon. Ernest Manning, proclaimed (spoke the truth) Alberta is a place to honour our hard-working citizens, and he shared his wisdom: work ethics, wellness for all, a democratic society. This was a real, trusted man. And then after 1970 the Lougheed government, and its successor Getty, Klein and Stelmach governments made many poor decisions and now we are governed by Conservative communism with a pay up and shut up system — pay taxes and photo radar tickets.
I pay federal taxes, provincial taxes, municipal taxes, photo radar tickets, gasoline tax, power taxes, tire taxes, recycle taxes, garbage tax.
The moment I moved here in St. Albert I was told ‘bring your cash and they will waste your money each year.’ All citizens are not speaking up so I decided to write this note in 10 minutes so you better open your eyes today and get to work now.
Irene Tremblay, St. Albert
