FALSE ECONOMY IN CLOSING WASTE TRANSFER STATIONS

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Four waste transfer stations may close". Firstly the amount of money to be saved is a pittance. Secondly why pick on the services to the Townships other than they are low voting areas and regional councillors in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge vastly outnumber the single reps from each of the Townships. There are certain core, fundamental areas of government responsibility and I would argue that waste collection and handling is one of them. Residents here in Elmira are conscientous about taking to our waste transfer station on Howard Ave. things that can't go out in the weekly garbage.

We pay our police department $135 million per year. These four transfer stations together will save $300,000. Policemen are all rapidly approaching the $100,000 mark on wages. Yes regional councillors and others are belatedly recognizing that police salaries and wages are not sustainable. They aren't the only ones. Teachers, firemen, politicians and municipal and regional staff all have to wake up and smell the taxpayer angst. Our costs are constantly rising while our incomes are stagnant.

Cutting back on a proper outlet for our garbage will increase vehicle trips to out of town landfills/transfer stations and or increase illegal dumping. Too little too late our politicians are waking up to the reality that taxes are not a bottomless well.