To the Editor

There has been much discussion recently about the proposed new Minden community centre. I am opposed to this project for the following reasons:

1. This structure is not a community centre but mostly a hockey arena.

2. A small percentage of the population uses it at subsidized cost while the rest of us (the majority) pay the lion’s share of its operation.

3. Municipalities are facing provincial government cost cutting downloading and funding reductions potentially increasing our municipal taxes 25 per cent.

4. Current budget deliberations in Minden started at 17 per cent tax levy increase. (Editor’s note: that figure is likely to drop.)

5. Project costs are not firm with many unknowns. The best case due to the arena means about a five per cent tax increase.

In all ratepayers are facing a tax increase of close to 40 per cent over three years!

In these uncertain fiscal times council needs to be minimizing vulnerabilities. Our taxes should be directed toward necessities. Obvious priorities are: maintenance and repair of roads and bridges municipal landfill upgrades including weigh scale compliance with occupational health and safety and environmental legislation improvement of recycling programs and facilities (compactor) flood planning and control initiatives.

We can’t afford and don’t need a new arena.

Paul Petric

Minden Hills