Councils should seek more ways to cut costs

Times Colonist
January 27, 2013

Re: “Two mayors join push for regional policing,” Jan. 24.

The debate over regional policing has heated up again. It is hard to believe that regional policing will not reduce costs and improve societal outcomes. Inner cities such as Victoria, Esquimalt and Vancouver have been carrying a disproportionate burden for far too long. Mayors of all three cities have spoken out in support of such an initiative.

If local governments in Greater Victoria were really serious about reducing costs, they would be considering other ways of sharing services to reduce costs and achieve improved outcomes that are less challenging or contentious. One prime example is collection of garbage. Instead, the City of Victoria has locked itself into a new garbage collection system that excludes it from such a possibility for years to come.

Why? Either Victoria city council is not serious about reducing costs in a way that does not reduce service levels, they aren’t thinking things through and/or they are more interested in protecting their own fiefdoms.

Paul Brown

Victoria