Are things always greener (and the bugs apparently don't fly) on the other side of those mountains?

While Prince Rupert residents have been busy grumbling about the recent tax notices issued by the City of Prince Rupert, they might be surprised to learn that in Prince George, we are being held up as some kind of promised land for those that have to pay.

Granted it's only one letter to the editor writer offering up the example of a more parsimonious and pleasant Podunk, but you need to take your public relations gifts wherever they come from eh...

The frustrations of the taxpayer get a review below, the Rupert relevant passage highlighted in red... though we suspect that N. McLean hasn't been here when the no see em's come out, nor seen the state of many of the local roads and sidewalks here of late...


Higher taxes at least paying for all the benefits

Letter to the Editor
Prince George Citizen
Written by N. McLeod, Prince George
Friday, 20 June 2008

We received our property tax notice from the city of P.G. recently, and imagine our surprise that our monthly installments are going up $40 per month.

I guess we up here in Blackburn are pleased to pay the extra taxes because we have such a nice new high school -- oops, the lot sits empty. Oh yeah, we have such nice sidewalks to stroll on -- oops our children walk up the highway every day to school.

OK maybe we are happy because we get mosquito control -- oops, can't sit outside as we have no more skin to donate to the biting bugs. OK, we get it, we have such wonderful bus service for the fine residents of Blackburn -- oops we were definitely overlooked on the new transit stuff. We up here drive our children everywhere until they get their licences. We pretty much get overlooked on anything to do with city upgrades.

This is one city resident that can't wait to put up the for sale sign and get the hell out of Dodge.

Up to our house in Prince Rupert where our taxes including water, garbage and sewer without a home owners grant is under $1,000. Imagine sitting outside with no bugs, taking the city bus anywhere we need to go, and above all, sidewalks to stroll on, not the side of the highway.

The only way Prince George will look good to us is when we see it in our rear view mirror for the last time.

Thanks for letting us rant.

We feel that we speak for most of the fine folks in the Blackburn area.

-- N. McLeod
Prince George