Wrong priorities

Dear sir:
Provincial budget cuts and “mega week” downloading create tough economic times for every taxpayer. Service cuts are now affecting those who can least afford these cuts (seniors, poor, the disabled). Regular and necessary services are being taken away from those who not only rely on these services but depend on them for their independent living.
It is for this reason that I feel compelled to write this letter to you. I firmly believe, in these tough times of budget cuts, we cannot cut essential services while at the same time finding thousands or millions of dollars for other wants in this community.
To keep it short and simple, town council should not be donating taxpayers’ dollars to special-interest groups who approach it for donations. Taxpayers’ money should be used exclusively for running our municipal government, and the necessary services required within this community.
If the mayor and members of council want to make donations, let them donate from their own pocket instead of the pocket of the taxpayer. Those taxpayers who wish to support a cause, in these tough times, should donate from their pockets and should not approach council for taxpayer money, which is collected to provide essential services and to run our community.
Every group seeking donations from taxpayers have worthy causes, including those who were unable to get money. The first group to ask for a donation is just as deserving as the last organization that asked. I am the first to agree that we all have worthy causes.
But the mayor and members of council should not be in the business of providing charity dollars when we no longer can afford the basic necessities of this community.
This letter is my personal opinion but I would be very interested to hear your opinion on this subject. Just write your views and mail them to the editor of this paper. I will take it constructively, as I know you will take mine.
In closing, I would like to thank the taxpayers for listening to my opinion.
Yours truly,
Tom Piotrowski