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CVRD tax increases are unreasonable

My Cowichan Valley Regional District taxes are up 10 per cent over last year, an unreasonable increase that comes with no improvement in services.

My Cowichan Valley Regional District taxes are up 10 per cent over last year, an unreasonable increase that comes with no improvement in services. My taxes went up five times the rate of local inflation, which means lots of new spending, pay increases and hiring, such as the new $120,000-a-year CVRD spin doctor.

Of the more than 230 employees, 70 in the CVRD get a minimum of $75,000 a year and 35 collect more than $100,000. Most of these employees are paid up to 30 per cent higher than similar positions in the private sector. Many of the top earners got pay increases ranging from four to nine per cent. These salaries are accompanied by generous benefits that taxpayers can only dream about.

Do we really need to pay someone who books recreation facilities $100,000 per year, or an emergency co-ordinator more than $120,000 a year?

Overall, CVRD salaries increased last year by more than four per cent, or $500,000, to $16 million. The elected CVRD directors also lined their pockets with pay, benefits and expenses totalling $515,000 — a whopping 19 per cent increase in one year.

These huge increases in spending and salaries have been going on for years and are well documented. We need the province to step in and control spending by these out-of-control local governments who continually disrespect taxpayers.

W.E. (Bill) Dumont

Cobble Hill