Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Nikky Davies Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Nikky Davies ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS ARE EASY TO FIND To the Editor, Re: HST opponents fail to offer solutions, Letters, June 2. I shall repeat that we are in this situation because of fiscal mismanagement at the hands of the B.C. Liberals. They went on a spending spree on themselves - large wage increases for themselves, an oversize bureaucracy, the Olympics, etc. What we need is a new forward-thinking party. Gordon Campbell has sold our resources to foreign corporations. Is anybody paying attention? Our public resources were never for sale. But there are solutions to these economic woes. Not enough cash for the school system? Eliminate school boards. Why are exorbitant salaries paid to another management body that offers little added value to the system? Health-care deficits? Legalize and tax marijuana. What are we waiting for? The facts in medical studies prove that this is a natural, pain relieving substance that will put our health-care system back on even terms financially if not more so. Medical cannabis will save patients from toxic, addictive substances like prescription drugs that don't work properly and have deadly side effects. A failed drug war that keeps marijuana illegal is the height of stupidity. Prohibition keeps this racket deadly and is an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars, as the problem never goes away. Need money for infrastructure? Start charging public places of worship property taxes. Why should 50 per cent of our population who don't belong to an organized religion bankroll tax breaks so believers have a place to worship? We need to step into the 21st century and realize that these dated systems are only working for the few, instead of all of us. If these measures were taken, hopefully the government wouldn't have to tax us to death. Nikky Davies Nanaimo - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake