EDITOR,
So the city is looking for options to fund infrastructure projects ("Utility rates may rise 50 per cent or more," The Chief, Feb. 18); well, here's an option: cut costs! Why is it that every time the city needs money, they automatically put their hand out for more from the taxpayers?
How to cut costs? Try what Sandy Springs, Ga., did. They privatized everything but the police and fire departments. By doing so, they not only cut costs substantially (10 to 20 per cent annually) but actually improved services for their residents (www.dandyspringsga.org). Perhaps our city should put all work other than the police and fire departments out for tender and award the contracts to the lowest qualified bidders, whether union or non-union. The competition for these contracts would lead to significantly lower costs. The fact that we have serious infrastructure problems indicates that the present maintenance system is not working. What we need at city hall is leadership and innovation instead of the same old "tax and spend."
William Barnes
Garibaldi Highlands
