If the pandemic closed everything why do we have to continue spending ?

By Pepper Parr

November 6th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The message asked:  “Please don’t use my name because I have friends at all these institutions and look forward to going back to them one day.”

The request had to do with a piece we published on the services the city provides and what the delivery cost is.  Our reader writes:

Unfortunately, I have been unable to use any of their fine services or enter their buildings for a year and a half.

However – all these institutions have been CLOSED SHUT or severely reduced in their operations for the past 20 months.

1)  If they provide no service – why do they cost so much?

2)  If we can survive without them – is there a way to do them for less?

3)  I think each of them have a very strong volunteer support staff in place – so it isn’t staffing costs?

and if it WAS staff – then why were people not laid off and put on the CERB (or whatever is the right thing to do).

And the charts should show what each group earns (takes in) as revenue.   This of course is during non-covid times.

Like …

        • If it isn’t open – why does it cost s much

          Performing Arts Centre – lets say it COST $1M but they sell tickets for $1.1M and return the excess back to the city.

        • The Art Gallery has free admission but maybe they cover all their costs in the gift shop?
        • Tourism Burlington should theoretically “create” an extra million dollars from extra visitors coming to our city through their advertising and goodwill service.   We can measure this by whether hotels are full and restaurants (and their patron’s bellies) are full.

Riders cover the costs – if not don’t operate a transit service

Parking, Transit, cemeteries should be self funded. Court services should be self supporting through fines they issue.

If we earn $100 from parking fees but spend $125 to collect it?  Wouldn’t it be wiser to make parking free – or charge 25% for parking?

If these groups are not self sufficient – that falls on the management for that group to figure out how to make it work.

Also as far as “dipping into reserves for a rainy day” 😮 – we have suffered 500 COVID rainy days running now.

This is the worst crisis since WWII.  This IS the rainy day. 🌧🌂☔

It isn’t easy doing up a budget. Especially for government services at union dollar rates.

I am very happy with the things in our beautiful city of Burlington and hate to see services and amenities taken away.

When they started charging for parking to go to the waterfront – I just stopped going to the waterfront.

I say let the people in other towns (who pay lower taxes and therefore have more money to spend) come and pay for parking here and fund our revenue stream.

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1 comment to If the pandemic closed everything why do we have to continue spending ?

  • perryb

    on the other hand, the City has been running almost empty buses everywhere for over a year. Would you rather have no buses? Should transit be totally self supporting? Or no service to areas that don’t have much volume? It’s too easy to pick apart pieces of a big puzzle and selectively reach such conclusions. Too bad you feel the waterfront is worth a visit as long as it’s free parking — you could walk there, you know.