Dear Editor:
As Mayor Wayne Wright doggedly beyond his mandate defends the ram-rodding through of the financing of the office building as part of the civic centre now named "The Anvil," I trust he will not mind being called "Top Anvil."
It is noted that Top Anvil has defied the public's strong admonition of the process by hiding the funding for the office building behind the smoke screen of an "alternative approval process" for a referendum in which the office building borrowing is not mentioned, although well known to the public. This is probably illegal. It is certainly improper.
What is outrageous is the name calling of his opponents as "losers" in B.C. Business Magazine last October. He has failed to make any apologies to the over 2,000 voters who asked for a formal referendum, which would give all voters an opportunity to use their democratic rights and vote yay or nay.
As it stands, there were no votes cast against holding a referendum. He was quite happy to have the non-voters carry the issue and insult those who did vote to have a referendum.
Was he afraid to have a formal referendum where all the facts would be revealed to the taxpayers? There is no law against having a referendum when there is evidence of strong yes support well beyond any similar vote in the city.
Top Anvil interprets the silent non-vote as strong support for his risky project and pathetically proceeds to hammer the opposition declaring them to be "apoplectic" in recent media accounts, as well as the previously mentioned "losers."
For one more time, the name calling of the voters and taxpayers of the Royal City of New Westminster
is entirely inappropriate for an elected mayor. This is the issue today. It must be accepted that the series of disastrous mistakes leading to the present situation require the project to proceed whatever the cost.
The significant mistake was in losing the knowledgeable partner who would carry the risk.
A wise mayor would have been more cautious, accepted the limits of Council to act without taxpayer authorization, been public with all activities relating to the project and sought the taxpayers understanding and support.
Top Anvil has messed his nest by his derogatory words on top of the mistakes. Obviously he feels that can go out of bounds as he will not be running again.
It's clear that the arrogant Top Anvil should promptly resign and apologize to the "losers" and "apoplectic." It would also be appropriate for the other coun-cilors to urge him to do so.
Ed Linstead, New Westminster
