Cuts are needed rather than a 6% tax hike

Dear Editor,
After reading that Hamilton property taxpayers are facing a 6% increase, which is higher than the 4.3% increase projected a few months ago, I'm left with the distinct impression that city council will have to make cuts, in order to pass a tax rate acceptable to homeowners and closer to the 1.3% inflation rate.
We have all seen our electricity rates skyrocket, despite the fact we own the Hamilton Utilities Corporation.
Water, sewer and storm water rates, which I consider a "rain tax", have all increased substantially. If I have to make cuts to my budget, so should city hall. There are hundreds of redundant programs and pilot projects that should have an end date.
To start, we could permanently lower our human resources costs be getting rid of hundreds of layers of management through attrition and the abolishment of "gapping" which loads costs into the future, or privatize garbage pick-up downtown, as everywhere else the private sectors delivers these services cost effectively.
We should also get out of the entertainment business and concentrate on getting more for less, instead of the expensive status quo.
Mark-Alan Whittle
Hamilton Mountain