Re: “Taxes would be less if we did more,” Jan. 20.

The writer makes a good point about citizens relieving some of the need for taxation by personally providing services for themselves.

However, I fear an inappropriate example was used in the suggestion that individual homeowners cart their own leaves to the municipal yard or revert to the practice of burning them, thus freeing Saanich works staff from the task of vacuuming and removing leaves.

The leaf-vacuum crew performs a practical function by ensuring that offending leaves are mulched and recycled, not left to clog drains during the winter rains. I shudder to think of the issues that a return to open burning would bring.

Greater citizen responsibility will be tested everywhere in Greater Victoria as the Hartland landfill reaches the end of its life, and all householders are asked to co-operate in more active reducing, reusing and recycling the stuff which spills over from our grossly consumptive lifestyles.

Tom Wood

Saanich

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