Party time in Clearview
If you looked around Clearview and see the degeneration in infrastructure (the “lakes” at the bottom of Mill/George in Creemore for example) maybe you are wondering where our property taxes end up?
150 residents of Clearview know; they are the select group of municipal staff and residents that enjoyed $5,400 of food and alcoholic beverages at the Clearview Christmas party ALL paid for with YOUR property taxes and part of the 1/3 tax free salary paid to the 9 council representatives!
The $5,400 cost of this Christmas party is over 1/2 of the yearly basic retirement income for many low income pensioners and represents the tax from 2-1/2 “average” Clearview homes.
The use of the 1/3 tax free allowance for councilors to purchase alcohol is even supported by the Federal government !
In 2011 Mayor Ferguson in his PART TIME role as Mayor of Clearview ( he never reports back to taxpayers on his County representation which seems to take priority over Clearviews) received over $52,000 ( $18,000 was tax free IN LIEU of EXPENSES) and another $5,800 (12.62% of salary) for mileage and other expenses. Deputy Savage received over $40,000 of which 1/3 was tax free and $4,000 (10.18% of salary) as tax free expenses.
Wouldn’t you like to have 1/3 of your salary tax free and also get to book tax free mileage expenses to your place of work?
There are less than 500 days before the next municipal election. If, like me, you are fed up with being the piggy bank for this council and the staff at the township I invite you to start thinking about what this community needs to do to overcome the damage done during Mayor Fergusons current 6 year “party” spree.
Clearview needs to get its costs, staffing levels and pay scales BACK to what it was in 2006 when we had more residents and that will only happen by electing new County representatives (who report back regularly to this municipality) and a new slate of qualified councilors who will stop rubber stamping everything that staff wants.
Peter Lomath
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