The Editor,
Here’s what the Toronto police board has to say about their selection process for their new police chief, “a process that will incorporate public consultation and input in a meaningful and proactive way.”
Spot the difference between Surrey’s 16-day search and what will likely be a long process in Toronto. No transparency, no public consultations. This whole process has been so rushed and secretive that due diligence and legitimate consultation have been thrown out the window.
We have only the mayor’s word that this will be in the best interests of Surrey’s citizens. I for one, trust nothing about this autocratic bullying mayor.
Should we believe the mayor? That same mayor has broken his promise to limit annual tax increases to the Consumer Price Index, paid $40 million to get out of the LRT contract while telling us the previously allocated funds would get the SkyTrain to Langley. Now the SkyTrain extension is indefinitely postponed, short by a few billion dollars.
Feeling comfortable yet with the mayor’s grasp on finances?
We have been told that the transition should only cost us $130 million extra over the first five years and then an additional 11 per cent moving forward.
Dream on. What contingencies have been built into this process should things go inevitably awry? Why of course the Surrey taxpayers’ wallets.
All this, while many taxpayers are struggling with the effects of the pandemic and there are worldwide movements to reallocate policing funds and put those monies into better services. Absolutely unbelievable that we are marching off in a totally different unaffordable direction.
A final question, are the NDP proud of their prominent role in making this happen
Mike Bildstein, Surrey
