Budget time at City Hall and it would appear the knives have been drawn on one lone dissenter to this year’s budget.
There are accusations of electioneering or early campaigning and the usual remarks when no one else has a good answer to the questions being asked.
When all else fails make accusations to put everyone off guard.
This is not the first time Coun. Surinderpal Rathor has been in hot water with his fellow councillors or her worship.
It would seem he also took too long in his annual sum-up last fall.
At that time statements were made that as long as everyone was looking through rose-coloured glasses and sang Kumbaya all was well.
When those glasses came off the tune changed.
This time it is over the increase in taxation that also ties into the whopping increase in salaries for senior staff.
As asked by members of the gallery, what is the justification for the increase when we have many unemployed who are struggling to meet their mortgage payments, let alone a tax increase of any amount, and retail property sitting empty with no tenants to pay those expenses?
Are there not some areas where some trimming of the fat could have been done, or as this particular councillor indicated, use part of the surplus for this year and hold the line on any tax increase?
Interestingly the amount that would be raised with the increase in taxation is similar to the overrun on the fire hall, which is a whole other issue.
Walt Cobb is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. He is a former Liberal MLA, former Williams Lake mayor, and current president of the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce.