I was most unhappy to read the headlines in the Guelph Mercury today regarding a 12 million dollar problem we have. This following an increased value of assessment on my home which is not in touch with reality, proposed higher city taxes, the proposed huge amount of spending required for a new library and the failure of many of you to be farsighted and support the Hydro merger has me and other residents of Guelph quite worried. Are you not aware of the global financial crisis which DOES affect us here in Guelph? Take a look at rising interest rates at the banks and the lowered values of many citizens retirement benefits and investments and you should be more sympathetic to peoples’ finances. My investments have plummeted in the past couple of weeks and I only deal with a Canadian bank. My mortgage is up for renewal shortly with a Canadian bank and already interest rates are far higher than what I have been paying. Don’t think that people living in Guelph will not be affected by job losses as corporations close down across Canada, North America and around the globe. Stop spending taxpayer dollars as if it was a bottomless money pit. Tighten your belts and rein in your fantasies until Guelph and its citizens can afford to spend so much money. You need to be fiscally responsible now and put some expenditures on hold. You need to clean house and get rid of the blatant waste which occurs in this city. This generation of taxpayers is becoming quickly overstressed by your spending habits and shortsightedness. Stop and reassess what you are doing to people. BK