According to the city council, the introduction of the green box program is designed to divert valuable organic waste from landfills, along with cutting greenhouse gases. By diverting this organic waste, we will not have to invest property tax dollars in new landfill sites for some time.

”Given these objectives, one might think residents would be rewarded for diligently doing our part. In most cities, this would be the case. However, our city council believes taxing people at incredible rates is the only way to proceed.

Even if one ignores that garbage collection is a core service, we are reminded of Mayor O’Brien’s failed idea of a separate tax for snow removal. In fact, the author of this latest peek-a-boo tax is none other than wannabe mayor Peter Hume. He was the same councillor who last spring mused about a river clean-up tax. I assume water is no longer a core service either.

If transit fares are the highest in Canada and user fees for children’s activities continue to be insurmountable, what are our tax dollars going towards?

What will I do with my green box? Perhaps fill it up with all the money the city is taking from me and then deliver it to city hall to show them how costly it is to live under their rule.

Stephen Blais
Orléans