Today's letters: OC Transpo woes aren't really Amilcar's fault
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While I agree that 'New Ways to Bus' has been a resounding failure, I would not put the blame completely onto Transit boss Renée Amilcar's shoulders.
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I mostly blame the decisions of the past few years of council for approving entirely inadequate budgets to meet the real needs of this city. For Amilcar to have to shoehorn limited buses, drivers and mechanic needs into an entirely inadequate transit fund was an impossible task.
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Several other needs in this city have been postponed because there is not enough money. People and properties are suffering.
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Municipalities are hamstrung in their ability to raise money to cover all the responsibilities shifted to them from higher levels of government. When we have families with great discretionary income to vacation abroad and buy the latest expensive luxury while others are housed in shelters and holding low-paying jobs, something is wrong with our tax system. Unless federal and provincial governments address the disparity in wealth, municipalities in this country will not thrive.
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