City of Guelph staff and Councilors have made several costly blunders in recent years, and should have their collective knuckles rapped. Or, better yet, they and their knuckles ought to be exiled to a small settlement just north of Inuvik – in winter and without gloves.
Examples of their ineptitude are many, but ones that immediately come to mind include expensive delays in construction, broken contracts, and the mind-boggling sale, and then leasing, of a prime piece of downtown property. Not to mention their latest waffling about what to do with an insignificant farmhouse, and the tricky question of how much to increase property taxes in 2014, an election year.
Mind you, political screw-ups are not confined to the Guelph area. Indeed, it’s a global disease, something like bulimia, only smellier. The bottom line is that, other than those with corporate interests, the majority of Guelphites are overtaxed and ignored – except, of course, during Councillors’ re-election campaigns. Anyone who thinks it’s still too early for such activity is simply not paying attention.
Interestingly, some distress has already been expressed over next October’s new online voting. Presumably, this will result in balloting by many locals who are too lazy to go to the polls, especially on a cold and blustery October evening. One wonders, though, what happens if a large bloc of University of Guelph students choose to nominate their family or friends, and then vote online? My guess is that life, as we know it, will come to an end.
Can you imagine a majority of politicians here and elsewhere actually interested in the welfare of the poor and downtrodden, to the extent of compassionate budget legislation? It boggles the mind! No more billionaires unable to spend their obscene fortunes in ten lifetimes. No more war, starvation, suicide, or despair – not to mention free education, little crime, and satisfying employment for all and sundry.
Of course, this utopian ideal will not be obtained on this planet overnight; it may take several hundred years, which is all the more reason to live a long and meaningful life.
About 240 years ago, our neighbours to the south revolted against taxation without representation. As you probably know, dumping tea in Boston harbour in the 1770s was simply a symbolic refusal to kiss King George’s ass, while bowing to British taxation. While this may have been a cause to celebrate in the 18th century, it is of no relevance today. We just don’t have the muskets or goolies to open trust accounts and deposit our municipal, provincial and federal taxes therein.
Why? It’s simple: The powers that be are backed by the military and police who, it is said, are pledged to serve and protect, which raises the question – to serve and protect whom? But I digress.
Sure, we have lots of politicians to represent us, and taxes seem a small price to pay for democracy, right? Not really. Face it; we’re all slaves to capitalism, prostituting ourselves for the almighty dollar to put unhealthy food on the table, an expensive roof over our heads, and an enormous pile of replaceable junk in our possession.
In my case, I’ve gotten used to the exorbitant tax bite of about 50 per cent (taking all insidious levies into account), but I refuse to shut up about it. When I was a shy youth back on the farm, my dear old pappy said, “If you want things to change, stand up and be counted. Silence, my son, means tacit approval.”
I also remember Robert A. Zimmerman mumbling such lyrics as “the times they are a-changin’.” That was 50 years ago Bob, and times have certainly changed. Of course, students here weren’t even born then, but take my and your grandfather’s word for it: times are a lot worse now.