In the Monday edition of the Red Deer Advocate referring to tax increase, two things immediately come to mind.
A four per cent wage increase for staff built in at a time when most face wage rollbacks or hourly rollbacks is a little much.
That being said, the real concern facing the citizens should be the 12 per cent increase in water rates beginning on March 1, 2011. The people in Red Deer and all of Central Alberta must be made aware that this increase is just the tip of the iceberg.
The pipeline nearing completion to supply water from Red Deer to all of the small towns surrounding, from Olds to Ponoka, will be held to ransom when their municipalities raise the water rates by potentially as much as the 20 per cent allowed.
As if that situation is not enough to infuriate the people, perhaps the sewer pipeline nearing completion will.
Most municipalities have separated sewer from water and by so doing the residents will see a significant increase when a new sewer charge occurs.
Getting back to Red Deer, I cannot help but wonder what the additional cost may be once the new sewer processing plant is put in place. Come on people, wake up and see things happening before your very eyes for what they really are.
Please note that by separating the sewer from the water, effectively allows the municipalities to charge up to 30 per cent on water and 30 per cent on sewer for a total of a 60 per cent potential increase in user rates.
W.A. (Bill) Kinley
Bentley