Buck stops with those in charge

I READ the letter in The Tele on May 5 from the correspondent who didn’t give his or her name but simply called his-herself “Reader”, and I’d like to respond.

Reader has taken the huff about my previous comments about the debacles around the Olympia and the wrong roofs saga.

Reader states it is maybe time I reflected on what I have ever done for our city instead of having a rant about the inept SNP-led Scottish Government and local Dundee SNP-led local authority.

Well Reader, I have.

What I have personally done for our city is that I have made a significant contribution financially for close to half a century.

I left school at 16 and have been in almost continuous employment ever since. I am now 64 so that is 48 years of paying income tax and NI contributions and other taxes.

I got my first tenancy at the age of 18 and I paid rates until the system was changed to poll tax and later on the council tax. I also paid rent to Dundee District Council and then to Dundee City Council until I bought my own home.

I have always paid my way in life and have never had any rent arrears, rates arrears, poll tax or council tax arrears.

I owe absolutely nothing to anyone.

Compared to many people I am now, thanks go my own efforts and being thrifty, relatively well off.

The fact remains that, like tens of thousands of other Dundonians and other citizens, too, I believe I have been well and truly financially shortchanged by politicians who are supposed to be using our hard-earned taxes properly. But they’re not, are they?

I have been paying far too much for far too long and getting far too little in return. Thousands of other Dundonians feel the same as me.

I am fully entitled to “have a rant” as Reader puts it because I have paid my way and am unhappy with the so-called “services”.

I have the ability to speak up but, sadly, many others don’t.

When the SNP came to power they said they wanted to make a difference to people’s lives. They certainly did – but not in the way they should have.

The SNP have been in power for a long time now so they are the ones who should be criticised for the mess.

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