We read the newspaper and watch news stories on TV and many articles are interesting and informative, but there are times one article or issue leaves one scratching their head.
Part of the information just does not make sense and leaves you thinking about it for days.
The recent news story about Penticton taxpayers, you and I, spending around $350,000 for a month or more to correct the homeless, petty crime and drug problem in the downtown section with the results showing nothing was achieved, did in fact, leave me wondering. Not that the program was a failure, not that an attempt was made by our elected officials but it kept going around in my head, $350,000 for a very short time and just what was it spent on.
Remember, city hall did not spend that money, we the taxpayers spent that money.
Think about it, that amount of money probably could have paid for two full time RCMP officers to patrol the downtown core for a full year. That amount of money could have fed so many homeless and or provided shelter for them for months on end.
So what has had me scratching my head is just what was the $350,000 spent on. Do we as taxpayers have the right to see the breakdown on how this money was spent? To just be told that it was spent on a program that did not work leaves one to think what was the program, how was the money spent? Tax dollars spent should be open and transparent and, we the taxpayer, should be allowed to see the general ledger with a breakdown on just how, and where, this $350,000 was spent.
I thank the city for trying to solve the problem but $350,000 with no results and no information on how the money was spent leaves me as I have said, scratching my head.
Bob Otway
Penticton