Listen To Those Who Hired You Bruce … We Don’t Have The Money

By Mike Archer. We’ve never seen the Abbotsford News run stories before promoting participation in their online poll but that’s just what they did this weekend with a three-paragraph summary of the proposed Vye Rd overpass asking residents whether they like the idea or not.

Guys … it takes more than three paragraphs to explain complex issues like municipal borrowing … come to think of it, no it doesn’t … We Don’t Have The Money.

Nowhere in the story (or in the previous story covering the hand-shaking) did they or any of the politicians present mention that Abbotsford won’t have $8.3 million in the bank if Council agrees to give $17.5 million to the YMCA or pay back it’s already depleted DCC fund on time.

It’s one of the oldest games in the book for politicians at senior levels of government like Ed Fast or Mike de Jong to fly into town dispensing money with strings attached that end up bankrupting local government.

Remember the last gift Ed brought us … two shiny new overpasses built on a federal highway for which we had to pay the lion’s share.

It’s part of municipal governance Bruce Banman seems to have a hard time understanding too. Spending money you don’t have is basically prohibited and/or severely restricted at the municipal level.

The provincial and federal levels of government are too smart to let municipalities run deficits. In fact … it’s against the law.

That’s why we had to have a referendum just to borrow the $55 million we borrowed for the half-a-billion-dollar Plan A debacle. It’s also why our politicians and bureaucrats have been borrowing internally to cover the costs of their bad decisions.

They didn’t dare borrow any more money from outside sources so they borrowed it from our DCC fund – the fund set up to pay for economic growth and infrastructure which is now in negative territory to the tune of more than $12 million dollars.

That’s how Councillor Dave Loewen is able to disingenuously argue that we no longer have the second highest debt in BC but the fourth highest.

It isn’t good debating technique in that it leaves you open to accusations, by those who know more than you do, that you haven’t a clue whereof you speak.

Right at about the time housing starts, building permits, real estate sales and economic growth have come to a standstill in Abbotsford Bruce wants to spend another $8.3 million we don’t have on an overpass to serve a dozen businesses down by the border.

It is the same ridiculous logic used by retired banker John Smith who said “We can’t afford not to spend the money” when told the provincial government would give us $1 million if we would built a $2 million Friendship Garden at City Hall. If that is really how bankers think no wonder the world economiy is in the toilet.

Bruce has got to stop being enamoured of his role
rubbing shoulders with important people and start looking after the interests of those who hired him.

Listen to them closely Bruce … they’re telling you very clearly … We Don’t Have The Money.

As for why the News didn’t explain the background to their readers before asking them to vote in their poll … who knows.

They also forgot to tell their readers that, when this plan was first discussed in 2005 the Abbotsford taxpayers’ share was $600,000 or less than seven percent of the costs of the project.

Now that Ed and Mike have had a little chat with Bruce the Abbotsford taxpayers’ cost has risen to $8.33 million and 33 percent of the cost.

Maybe the News‘ readers answers to their poll would be a bit different if they knew all the facts.

Currently they have a whopping 255 out 133,000 residents who have voted. If you intend to participate then by all means vote which ever way you want but please, inform yourself about what your voting on first.