To the Editor,
Re: Councillors support $12-million Port Theatre expansion, Sept. 11.
Almost all of council needs to be tarred and feathered and dumped immediately from the elected office they are not honorable of holding.
Last week a late item was added to the agenda: Port Theatre community consultation. The item was only marked to be received, providing officials with an update on the consultation process. Nothing was noted about millions of our tax money to be given out that evening nor had any councillor given advance notice of such a move, which is now the norm.
However, out of the blue, with the council auditorium packed with arts supporters, Coun. Fred Pattje made a motion for the city to co-sign a $2-million line of credit for the theatre society and to give it $4.6 million of city tax money if the group raises other money from our federal and provincial tax pockets.
The nasty trickery of this council may not be criminal, but it certainly should be.
The very next item brought up on that night’s agenda was the city’s finance director saying city hall has long-term money challenges.
George OliverNanaimo
To the Editor,
Re: Councillors support $12-million Port Theatre expansion, Sept. 11.
Since the Port Theatre is on its way to getting a smaller performance stage, we obviously do not need 25 Victoria Rd. The city of Nanaimo should sell the old Centre Stage building as we do not need two city-funded stages within a few blocks of each other consuming much government money.
J.C. BroderickNanaimo
To the Editor,
Re: Councillors support $12-million Port Theatre expansion, Sept. 11.
Hands must be getting sore from all the clapping at council chambers. But then, again and again, if our money can be so easily and gleefully handed out by municipal politicians, guess we might as well hand out free bottles of Jergens lotion too.
It is easy to dupe council to get what you want. Few councillors care to question those asking for money.
The Port Theatre Society said it surveyed 800 souls to see if people wanted the multimillion-dollar expansion. The result, it says, was overwhelmingly in favour. But when the society only polled those in the theatre society’s own database and cultural plan participants – supporters – why wouldn’t you get the desired result?
So remember, my fellow taxpayers, who are having a tough time making ends meet, the next time you need money, simply poll your own family and friends. Appear before council and tell them everyone you contacted said to buck up.
Better yet, this November vote out those who are spending our money like there’s no tomorrow, so the rest of us will have a few dollars left in our pockets.
Kevan ShawNanaimo
