Nanaimo New City Hall Annex

Is $15,000,000.00 Move Really Necessary?

In another move of great stealth employing those 'in camera' meetings this city council is famous for the good taxpayers of Nanaimo are being told to shell out another $15,000,000 to provide a new, state of the art office building to house our ever growing team of city staff.

It should be noted this expenditure was never discussed in an open council meeting, and in fact was announced as a 'done deal' by Mayor Ruttan at the last council meeting. A fact, the local press seems content is the only option available for the already heavily laden local taxpayers.

Yet again, this council is demonstrating their complete contempt and arrogance when it comes to dealing with the taxpayers of our fair community. Perhaps, that contempt and arrogance is not misplaced, as it seems no one seems particularly interested in exploring the process which has led to the rather sizable expenditure.

It will be interesting to see what information is forthcoming from city council and city staff relating to how this purchase is being handled as at the moment there are many questions which need exploring, and it is hoped that our award winning 'real' press in town will do some serious journalist worthy digging into the many questions begging an honest, public answer.

For example, going back over a year, when the original engineers report was being touted as showing the need to spend $6.5 million on the current home, city hall refused to release the actual breakdown of how the total cost of $6.5 million was arrived at.

I have submitted a request for answers to a few questions which beg answers which I will publish as made available. Not the least question is wanting to know which of our city councilors voted in favour of this expenditure, which it would seem council is reluctant to address in the open, in public. Wonder why?

It Could Mean a ZERO Tax Increase For Five Years!

CIty staff pointed out at the last council meeting that three main projects were responsible for the tax increase, residents are facing this year.

It should be noted that this, $15,000,000 expenditure accounts for nearly ALL of the increase in taxes projected through to the year 2015. In other words, without this expenditure, there could be a period of five years, when residents would not see their taxes increase.

I wonder if any of our city Councillors have actually considered that possibility and explored how to make it happen? I know, they would get my vote this fall.