Summerland’s proforma water invoice is simply a preparatory campaign to dress up a tax under another name.
All three levels of government culture and base level of thinking is in ‘revenue streams’ sometimes spun as ‘resource enhancement’ and spending is now called ‘investment’. Added taxes have been somewhat shifted from mil rates and income taxes to sales taxes and use fees. The methodology is to get a few points on anything people consume in volume by laying it back on the population that they are consuming too much, so the tax or fee is their fault. Announce it with some lament, and that you reluctantly will be forced to do this.
I keep thinking food is next — just a foot-in-the-door at first, but once started would grow gradually over time.
I can’t recall any politician in any level of government ever having stood up for taxpayers on the net level of taxation we have to endure in itself. I can recall, however, that politicians routinely vote for every proposed tax. At some levels of government we have to finance fantasies and infatuations of authoritarian leaders without representation, which has been squelched.
Government now takes over half of our money through one means or another and its growth shows no signs of even slowing.
You all don’t fool most of the people, so save the cost of these preparatory phony invoices and just be flat out honest. You need this tax for what you have spent.
Roy Roope
Summerland
