If Alan Pickersgill is insinuating in his column (Tribune, Aug. 2) that there has been a “tax drought” in recent years in our city, province, and country, I have but one question for him: What planet have you been living and working on for these past many years?
As one of the vast silent majority who live and work, or have worked my whole life, and never drawn employment insurance or welfare, I have only seen my taxes at all three levels of government go up and up since I joined the work force many years ago.
Pickersgill, a well known left wing activist, and NDP supporter, as with all socialists, will never realize that there is a breaking point as to what working people will keep paying in taxes before their will, or ability to pay, runs out.  They are the life blood of our social programs, not big government. One only has to look at Greece, Spain, and Italy, where their universal social programs have collapsed because too many people in those countries do not, or cannot pay their taxes. Everybody with decent jobs works for the government and all entrepreneurial investment for the future in those counties had disappeared.
Pickersgill says “people want their social programs back.” We still have wonderful social programs in Canada that are the envy of the world because out tax compliant rate is so high. However, even Pickersgill would have to agree that this city council, the provincial Liberals, and not just the Conservatives, have played fast and loose with our tax dollars to fund pet projects.
In city council’s case, they play the old shell game to suggest an 8 per cent tax increase, then suggest they’re doing us all a favour by giving us only a 3 per cent increase. They aren’t kidding anybody.
This mayor has grown our debt and the size of city hall beyond any acceptable standards. It takes real political courage to trim the size of government, cut the waste and put up with the incessant whining and protesting of the socialists in our society in order to keep tax rates fair, and fund our social programs.
Pickersgill’s view is to keep spending and raising taxes, in a never ending cycle, then blame fiscally conservative politicians (are there any left?) for the woes of the world when the money runs out.
Hopefully the silent majority in Guelph will have long memories, and come the next election we will elect a fiscally responsible council who respond to our concerns, and not treat us as dependant little children by bribing us with our own money.
Ron Asselstine
Guelph