To the Editor,
I have been shopping around for a few items locally and find that the price is way high.
I went, for instance, to buy four heat dispensers for deferring the heat equally on my BBQ. For obvious reasons I will not mention the store, but they wanted $30 apiece plus tax—approximately $130.
I decided to try another avenue and I found the heat dispensers. Although they were not local, it was only $48 for all four. They were the stainless steel ones—the same as the local store.
It is hard to shop locally when you have to pay three or more times the price for the same item. I realize it is pandemic time but come on—that is ridiculous.
I found out that there is a tremendous increase in a number of items here in the Alberni Valley—food, clothing, gas and a number of other miscellaneous articles for sale here are very expensive, and there are other avenues you can use to get 90 percent of them at a decent price.
Local stores charge more for their items to survive, but the people are also trying to survive in this dreadful time. There has to be an answer somewhere.
My taxes rose more than $300 this tax season. That does not sound like the elected ones are paying attention to this crisis we are in.
I am sure a lot of people agree that overspending to improve attractions and adding new attractions in our fair city should be put on hold during this time of need, and that will help out a few people that need it.
Dave Noble,
Port Alberni
