Dear Editor,

Weeks ago, our city hall boasted 200 jobs are coming to our area. This hunch is a joke to elevate their withering PR image with tarot card readings. Maybe the Canucks can forecast the Cup?

It is plausible that companies, like Tireland, etc., are transplants and most jobs are filled, and their claim is highly speculative.

Maybe we can market this as renewable and sustainable energy - hot air, to get off fossil fuels.

We see our mayor and others get wage hikes while most see tough economic times. How many of you get more money while they give us for 3.1 per cent tax hikes in 2013?

We get inane, sloppy decisions like the ice arena receivership that ballooned to millions, a new library when the former was sufficient, a $5 million cultural centre, etc., and weak services while they defy a tax petition that amplifies growing anger in our area.

City hall is deaf, and only spends money instead of saving costs, with its legacy of substandard administration.

Tax collection time is coming. Sign petitions to embarrass them and bring them off Cloud 9.

They wasted money by sending letters to 900-plus petitioners, instead of comments in the newspaper or their website. Who cares? It's not their money, it's ours.

Many newspapers discredit municipalities for gouging the taxpayer with fat wages and costly eye-candy ideas.

It is time we slash wages and subcontract jobs. Many of these ideas could be done cheaper with the same results.

It is sad that, before Christmas, four "on-duty staff" from Ridge Meadows ground crew shopped on company time - our taxes - for a sponsored family. Nice gesture, but why can it not be done as volunteer work, on their time, like others - not while making good money?

Why are we paying for this? It does not take four well-paid staff to shop. Who endorses it?

Has anyone heard of volunteerism? How often is this done?

Maybe we should publish the names and salaries of all, to see why our taxes are going crazy. Other companies cull wages or expenses.

No mayor in a small area should make $60,000-plus per year. Ask voters.

Maybe they are trying to jack taxes to extricate jobless, seniors on low income, and disabled on fixed budgets, while retaining those who have big wages.

Edwin Lawson, Pitt Meadows