I had a document for the federal government which required a witness, one of which was a municipal clerk.
As a result I went down to the Vernon City Hall to get a signature on this form.
Now you have to realize first of all that you can’t just get a relative who knows you to sign it but you have to get a complete stranger to sign it to swear who you are.
So I arrive at city hall where there are approximately 10 parking spots for the taxpaying public, but approximately 40 for city staff so I have to park two blocks away and plug the meter for which my tax dollars have contributed to, on the road I have helped pay for and walk back to the city hall which once again my tax dollars have helped to pay for.
After standing in line for a while I tell the lady at the till the reason I am visiting this particular building which once again I have paid taxes to build and heat and cool and also pay for their 40 or so parking spots while I pay to park on the road after plugging the meter I helped to pay for, and she tells me yes the municipal clerk will sign the form but I will have to pay the City of Vernon $25.00 (she thinks) for the signature.
By now I am starting to get a little bit perturbed because I have been paying all of these taxes along with my fellow taxpayers and I still haven’t got a signature on my form.
So I decide enough is enough and leave this place and go in search of somebody with some sense and fortunately for me I find a school teacher who has no idea who I am but signs the ridiculous federal document and so all is well.
After getting home I started to think that maybe it is a very good idea that whatever clowns (which we elected to look after our best interests) decided that taxpayers who need to have a signature, for which they are going to be charged, should be charged $25.00 each time their paycheque is signed by whoever signs it on the taxpayers behalf.
I just can’t believe sometimes the stupidity that comes about from the results we have from elections.
If it was a private company I went to get a signature that is fine as that is the business they are in but to be treated like this from the people we elect to run a proper business for us is totally ridiculous and irresponsible.
And why does city staff have roughly 40 spots while taxpayers have roughly 10 spots?
If they are charged to park there that is fine but I would like to have an answer to this question or do I have to ask for a right to information form and do I have to pay $25.00 to get it?
Dave Jones
Vernon