Dear editor,
In 2007 the general administrative budget for the then-Comox Strathcona Regional District (which included the entire North Island) was about $3.6 million.
In years 2008 through to date, the “split off” (Comox Valley Regional District administrative costs) were in excess of that amount, and are budgeted for about the same $3.6 million through 2015.
Can the CVRD explain why its administrative costs have not decreased to a proportionate amount based upon the fact that the area it is responsible for and its population is about 60 per cent of what was represented by the entire CSRD.
While there may have been two reasonable factors influencing a rather excessive budget (one being a transitional costs in 2008 and 2009, and the other being a small loss in efficiencies of scale), as a taxpayer I would expect the administrative costs should have declined to about $2.6 million maximum.
Is the CVRD now an organization that is “top heavy?" Are there redundant services and committees being formed and maintained? Are there budget amounts set aside as “unallocated funds” with no apparent proper direction at this point in time?
I do note that its operational revenues and expenditures have reflected the proper reduction as a result of the split into the two separate regions.
I understand that the $24,000 set aside for the BC Senior Summer games last year have been rolled into this year’s budget. To what end? Why not return that money to the taxpayer?
John Davis,
Courtenay