Recently I became aware of a money grant of $1,500 given to Pride NL by the city council of St. John’s.
On the same day I became aware of this, I received in the mail my staggering city tax bill.
As a person on pension income, I have to watch carefully every penny that I have.
This steep city tax bill requires my attentive vigilance in this regard, so I queried of our esteemed Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary (Mayor Danny Breen appears to be away from his office) why was the city giving a grant of money to Pride NL.
The deputy mayor did reply quickly but it was with what I regard as an arrogant, insolent response which did not answer my question.
She intoned that she, Mayor Breen and others on council and the public will be at the Pride flag-raising and parade because city council believes in diversity and inclusion.
Apart from the usual politician virtue-signalling, this irrelevant reply did not answer my question. Am I to infer because the St. John’s city council believes in diversity and inclusiveness then I, as a taxpayer, must pay with my taxes for their virtue-signalling and grandstanding for a particular advocacy group?
I care not a fig what a person’s choice of lifestyle may be but please do not expect me, as a city taxpayer, to foot the bill for celebrations thereof.
One may say well it is merely $1,500, but who is to say the ladling out of city tax money to this particular group will not increase? And what of other social advocacy groups with equally laudable goals in the eyes of our social justice warrior city council?
Also, that is $1,500 no longer available for legitimate city services like snow removal, pothole filling, street lights, etc.
May I humbly suggest to members of city council that if they want to donate money to what they view as worthy causes, then pass the hat for contributions around the city council table, but leave my wallet alone.
Robin Reid,
St. John’s
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