Re: Rocky View needs fiscal stability,” LTE Sept. 21
Dear editor,
I wish to thank John Gough for his letter to the editor, pointing out what the true Rocky View County debt will be by July 1, 2011.
On this date the Graham Reservoir Treatment Plant should be completed and therefore your numbers of $63 million for the Langdon Sewer System, the $36 million for the estimated cost of the Graham Treatment Plant, plus the $5 million remaining debt for the Balzac Pipeline and Reservoir does add up to a $104 million debt.
This is a dramatic change from Rocky View’s debt of just $3 million in 2001.
I have been told by some of my colleagues that this is good debt because everybody benefits. Well, from my years in business, I have learned both good and bad debt all has to be paid. That has been my experience.
The bigger problem is that it does not end there.
Every time Rocky View council approves a major redesignation, we commit the taxpayers to further unfunded liability because the Municipal Government Act states that the County has obligations like emergency services.
In the current state of the world economy this is very dangerous as other levels of government everywhere are trying to reduce debt.
How much debt can the taxpayer support? This debt has accumulated over 10 years. This is not responsible government.
Councillor Gordon Branson and I tried to have a financial strategy developed in September, 2009. We were quite soundly defeated.
The decision is now up to the voters of Rocky View. You must decide how much debt you are comfortable with. Please get out and vote. We get the government we deserve by not voting.
Harvey Buckley, Retiring Rocky View Division 1 Councillor
