‘Bamboozled’?

Dear Editor:

RE: Town of Erin to begin land negotiations for wastewater treatment plant, Aug. 27.

As a rural Erin taxpayer, I’m tired of paying taxes for services I will never receive. How much has the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan cost us? What about the Environmental Assessment? Drilling for new wells, etc.?

Mayor Allan Alls states in his tax message that developers will pay for the cost of development. The article states the town will buy the developer’s land to build the sewage plant and may have to pay for some or all of the $60 million ($80 million, $100 million?).

But not to worry, we will get our money back when the developers pay development charges. When do these development charges come back to my bank account/pocketbook? Never!

I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think so. Perhaps the mayor and council think we are all stupid? This from Canada’s most secretive municipality. Please join me at the Sept 15 council meeting to get some answers.

This is very unfair. Who wanted this? A few rich developers? This feels like Robin Hood in reverse: take from working families to give to rich developers. COVID-19 is stressing us all. Who can afford this massive tax increase?

We’ve been bamboozled.

P.L. Robertson,
RR1 Hillsburgh