Just think: If all proceeds from the hospital parking lot were to flow into a special fund for the hospital itself, a lot of financial woes would to be solved.
This hospital was built by the people for the people, and no council or foundation should be allowed to literally give away potential earnings from this parking lot to a private company.
There is only one description for this decision: “predatory capitalism.”
This is a form of capitalism that is entirely aimed to benefit only a few. This type of capitalism is impossible under a social democracy where people actually have a say, but is allowed to flourish under any business-minded form of government and therefore borders close to fascism.
Hard words to swallow? Yes, anytime government allows itself to be dictated by business, it’s called fascism.
So, imagine my horror when receiving the latest flyer from the hospital foundation begging us, the tax payer for extra donations for a new digital X-ray machine.
We have been very supportive towards the hospital over the years but were never asked if we would like to pay for parking on our own property.
Yes, the hospital parking lot belongs to us the people, not some foundation.
But still, the proceeds should be going to the hospital itself to help finance those desperately needed upgrades.
Heck, if I knew my parking fees and fines were to go to the hospital itself I might even consider using that lot and provoking a fine to boot to help a good cause.
But since it is very hard to convince people that we are the ones that have all the rights and the so-called foundations and politicians are only there to serve us and not the other way around there is only one solution.
Grin and bear it and use a bike.
My main concern is about all those people that have a large enough burden to bear by having to visit loved ones in the hospital and who should not need to worry about some parking fee and being harassed by an attendant that was observed while he was waiting and watching for someone’s time to run out.
Robert Eichmuller
Penticton