Govt should do like the NYC mayor

THE EDITOR: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and staff are to take one-week furloughs. The symbolic move will save the city US$860,000 as it faces a budget crunch.

Perhaps this initiative is something for our Minister of Finance to consider since we are short of $15 billion to balance the budget. In our case we will require a great deal more than US$860,000 to help us balance the budget.

We should consider at least a one-month furlough but that will perhaps not sit well with some of us.

On October 5, the Finance Minister will deliver his annual budget. He has already signalled that the property tax is coming and maybe gas prices will go up again.

The Government and the people are in this together, therefore the Government should make some concessions (like the suggested furlough) while impending taxes are deemed inevitable.

If the mayor of 15 million people has the will to make a sacrifice to help alleviate the shortfall in his budget, I believe our government should do its part to demonstrate that the burden does not solely belong on the shoulders of the people.

We are in this together.

JAY G RAKHAR

New York