To the editor:
One of the numerous items this present arrogant B.C. government is doing is depriving and disrupting education of our children who are the future of our country.
Just to enlighten the general public, when in 2004 a previous education minister, namely Christy Clark, withdrew the teachers’ right to negotiate over class size and composition from their contract, the supreme Court of B.C. found this was unconstitutional and ordered the government to reinstate those negotiating powers (another blunder.)
Chronologically, on Aug. 1, 2007, pay raises were approved, a 29 per cent boost in MLA’s basic salary ($98,000) and 54 per cent elevation for the premier ($186,200). A reasonable increase may have been warranted but his was absolutely ridiculous and undoubtedly excessive.
Then, on July 1, 2010, we were introduced to and forced into the imposition of the infamous harmonize d sales tax and the scenario took place as follows:
• 1.6 million cast ballots in a referendum
• 55 per cent voted to scrap the HST
• our cost of the referendum is still not known, but estimated at $15 million in addition to $5 million the government spent to promote the tax
• $1.6 billion is to be repaid to the federal government.
During the 2010/11 fiscal year, the 85 elected MLAs cost us taxpayers practically $14 million:
Salaries—$10 million ($117,647/MLA or $9,804/mo)
Living Expenses— $1.2 million ($14,118 $1,177
Business travel—$2.5 million ($29,412 $2,451)
Totals—$13.7 million $161,177 $13, 432)
The teachers are asking for a 15 per cent increase in wages over three years and the funds have to come from somebody.
A suggested solution would be to decrease the exorbitant salaries of the bureaucratic MLAs, deputy ministers and specifically the premiers’ resent salary of $195,532/year. In addition limit and control their expenses.
Otherwise, guess what—you and I will again be footing the bill together with the future costs pertaining to the pending elimination of the unjust and undesirable HST.
Rest assured this government will continue to increase our MSP health premiums which should be exempt to all seniors.
Peter Anutooshkin,
Kelowna
