A press release from Integrity BC was coincident with a visit from the Canadian Tax Federation’s B.C. debt clock in Keremeos on July 2.
Integrity BC’s press release - “Sticker shock over city hall payments” discussed the astronomical wages being paid to many of B.C.’s municipal Chief Administrative Officers.
It’s a topic we have touched on several times locally. Integrity BC makes note of the difference in salaries between B.C. municipal officers and their Ontario counterparts, noting also that civic officials are very good at claiming the cupboard is bare when negotiating with unionized staff, while the cookie jar is overflowing for themselves.
CTF’s B.C. Director Jordan Bateman brought the debt clock to Keremeos as a visual reminder of the 24 hour a day escalating debt load currently accumulating for the province’s residents. The CTF is hoping to make citizens aware of the need for governments to stop spending, especially on items related to special interest agendas.
B.C.’s debt grows by:
- $209 per second
- $12,515 per minute
- $750,913 per hour
- $18 million per day
- about a million dollars every 80 minutes
“Debt is a killer for future generations,” said Bateman. “It’s like putting our children and grandchildren a mile behind a marathon’s starting line.”
Bateman urges the premier to carry out her election promise to balance the budget, noting that their is clearly a public appetite to see her do just that.
These two organizations have certainly done their part in bringing these issues to the public’s attention, something many of our bureaucrats and politicians would never do on their own. It’s time for the taxpayer to do their part now, and make sure politicians’ feet are put to the fire.