Dear Editor:
Re: Mayor says trip to Mesa worth the money, Burnaby NOW, April 13.
It's good to know when opposition political parties drop the ball, the news media is there to report the facts.
I am disturbed with Mayor Derek Corrigan's continued poor judgment in spending our tax dollars. What a waste of Burnaby taxpayers' monies. Mayor Corrigan should keep his presence in Burnaby, working for the citizens.
In a time of constraints, Mayor Corrigan should exercise more care with our tax dollars. Our taxes will be increasing another three to four per cent this year.
We are in the 21st century. Our city manager surely has the skill sets and access to technology such as video-conferencing or Skype to set up meetings with Mesa to brainstorm ideas instead of going on these junkets.
So how can Mayor Corrigan justify this latest junket on the taxpayer dollar? And how can he justify the tens of thousands of tax dollars he has now cumulatively spent (over multiple terms) visiting "sister cities" in Japan, Arizona and who knows where else - as well as in hosting those sister city delegations from Japan, Arizona and who knows where else?
City taxpayers should not be funding a "vacation exchange" for their elected officials. We deserve more respect and more value for our money. I ask that Mayor Corrigan reimburse (from his own pocket) any expenses billed to city taxpayers for this latest trip and then cancel all future planned junkets until such time as he can present taxpayers with a zero increase in the property tax levy.
Finally, Mayor Corrigan also exercised poor judgement in travel planning. The least he could have done was to use YVR, instead of the Bellingham airport.
As a retired 22-year UPCE member, I fail to see how this shows any respect for the unionized employees at YVR. I hope that they, and their counterparts in other B.C. unions, remember this clear sign of disrespect when Mayor Corrigan next appears (cap in hand) seeking contributions to his next election campaign.
What a waste of Burnaby taxpayers' monies in times when this council continues to raises our taxes.
Nick Kvenich, Burnaby
