Editor:
Some members of the public are quick to complain when union workers, such as school district staff, demand a middle class income. Others begrudge the pittance welfare recipients are expected to live on. All too seldom do we hear complaints about over-paid CEOs, so it was refreshing to read Rob Shaw's article in the last Coast Reporter.
Perhaps the public should be asking just what the job description is for a BC Ferries CEO. What does someone do all day to deserve a half-million dollar annual salary - the over $40,000/month that tax-payers and ferry-users are paying him?
What are the qualifications for this position? The excuse is always the same: "We have to pay this much to attract the best people." OK, then, tell the public how you define "best"?
Meanwhile, not only does ferry travel become more expensive and inconvenient, but housing gets less affordable for those on modest incomes. Our food bank shelves empty too fast because, with rising food prices, even people with jobs sometimes need to avail themselves of these services and fewer people can afford to donate to them.
I recently learned that the dental limit for a person on provincial disability benefits is being lowered from $800 every two years to $1,000 every three (anyone who has had to pay their own dental lately can tell you this won't go far). Why aren't our tax dollars being used to benefit ordinary people rather than bolstering the lifestyles of the already rich?
This growing inequality negatively affects all of society. No one needs $500,000 per year even if they are "the best".
Anne Miles, Gibsons
