Rethink their strategy

For over a hundred, years, the Yarmouth Court House has sat at Main Street, quietly tucked next to one of Yarmouth’s most historic streets. Horse and carriage have come and gone, street cars have made their lasts run down Main Street long ago, but this unassuming yet lovely brick building has persevered.

This building is owned by the Municipality (which is us taxpayers) and as sure as the tides, its occupants have complained about space. During the past, space within the building has been rented out to the Town of Yarmouth and the Department of Justice. Now, as Justice moves down the street, what pundit thought this would be the time to build a new building? Space will now be more available to all and sundry worthy municipal bureaucrats.

How much space does a municipality of 8,000 plus-or-minus souls need? Are we getting harder to manage as we age? If Council were to check out a few pertinent facts from StatsCan perhaps they would rethink their strategy to increase taxes for every man, woman, child and dog for the next while. Aging population, fixed incomes; these are not economic indicators of wealth. They are indicators of a large and growing sector of Canadians in Nova Scotia who, for more taxes, can expect less; the same roads, slow health care service, average 7-hour waits at emergency, increasing youth violence, out-of-control prices for food and energy, and unresponsive governments at seemingly all levels.

Personally, I thought for a number of years that Municipal government bore the last remaining vestiges of democracy. Closest to the people, free of power games and small-town egos.

For shame, you guys! We deserve better.

Sincerely,

Ann Winkels

PS: Who owns the jail on Main Street? Why isn’t someone developing it as a museum? Heaven only knows this area has had more than its share of bandits over the years. Ie: Rum Runners. Might make a good tourist attraction.