Dear Editor:
Re: Financial info should be on line, Editor's Letter, Burnaby NOW, March 30.
Kudos to Pat Tracy for her timely and provocative item on Burnaby city council's shameful rejection of transparency and accountability in refusing to match the standards of other B.C. municipalities in making election expense data readily available to taxpayers online.
Coun. Sav Dhaliwal's response (the mayor and most of council being off on a junket) that it is of no interest to the public and onerous to staff, is typically feeble and arrogant, particularly in light of the comprehensive and no doubt costly website that city hall maintains.
I am shocked in particular by the revelation of the magnitude of the $20,000 CUPE contribution to the coffers of the ruling and unopposed Burnaby Citizens Association.
It is hardly surprising that our city fathers wish to hide their cozy relationship with their employees, which comes at the expense our rising property tax bill, which increments annually regardless of economic indicators.
Thomas Hasek, Burnaby
