Dear Sir
Whether you live in North America, the Caribbean or Central-South America taxpayers must be diligent and aware of protecting our futures.,
Seems our local and regional governments can afford to give themselves pay raises but certainly will not vote to give back to taxpayers a financial incentive, or rebate. The Niagara Regional Council’s sunshine list gave several of its top bureaucrats’ hefty pay increases.
The region’s acting chief medical officer, Dr Mustafa Hiriji, earnt $450,420.45 in 2021, a raise of $153,351.28 compared to 2020. The Niagara chief administrative officer, Ron Tripp, earnt $313,001.55 in 2021, an increase of $81,520.48 compared to 2020.
In contrast, the City of Toronto, with a population of 2.8 million, only paid its chief medical officer, Dr Eileen DeVilla $321,835.53, while the City of Mississauga with a population of 718,000 paid its C.A.O, Paul Mitcham $284,855.50.
In the last six months, The Niagara Regional Council has increased property taxes, increased user fees, and awarded hefty pay hikes too.
It seems that the taxpayer needs to lock its attention upon their elected officials and public bureaucracy. While the medium pay raise in America has risen from 3 -3.5 percent, the UK from 2.5-3 percent and Canada an increase of 2.5 percent followed by a 2.7 percent increase in 2023.
The pandemic has acted much like a mass fog event, hiding the many actions of our elected officials and their underlings. We see them carrying out the business of government and protecting the population, while we do not see their hands going into our pocketbooks enriching themselves. A mask can be made for less than a dollar, yet our governments have paid as much as five dollars for these.
Remember how the US military was seemingly charged $700 for hammers? Inflated wages, prices and unconfirmed costs to the public purse can not be acceptable. Public officials taking advantage of the public is criminal, unethical and must be stopped. The public purse must be respected and protected at all times. Many of our public officialdom seems to have forgotten this fact.
Well, what was hidden must come into the light, I say! Taxpayers live with their eyes wide open, questioning those elected to be fair, transparent and accountable.
This fog that has hidden much from us has allowed the possibility to become probable. What has been misappropriated, stolen, mismanaged, overpaid?
Perhaps the public offices of the attorney-general and Ombudsmen need to become involved, strictly investigating our government for any possible wrongdoing. While this is done, the “rats” of wrongdoing will surely abandon the public ship. Those who remain most certainly are the public officials we wished to elect and work for us.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
