HEALTH, EDUCATION, JUSTICE ARE ALL OUT OF FINANCIAL CONTROL

Today's Waterloo Region Record advises us that our two local school boards are approaching the $1 Billion mark PER YEAR. That is ridiculous especially when our high school grads are going out into the world less prepared than ever. Grant you it's not all of them but enough that universities are routinely having to give first year students refresher courses in both english and math. The article in today's paper is titled "School spending nears $1B".

Keep in mind this is nearly $1B just for Waterloo Region elementary and high schools. Of course having two separate systems costs money as well but to date nobody has seriously suggested changing that. The public board is spending $727 million while the separate board are spending $247 million for a total of $974 million. This is to educate a total combined enrollment of 82,000 students. If one does the math it costs almost $12,000 per year per student. Does anybody seriously think we can continue having smaller class sizes or full time kindergarten and or pre kindergarten? What needs to be done is a wholesale housecleaning of the overpaid, vested interests who have been milking our educational system for decades. Teachers' salaries are the tip of the iceburg. Consultants, bureaucrats and administraters making six figures a year and more need to be downsized. A Liberal government who have used taxpayers money to bloat a system which was overfunded at $350 million in the late 90's (Waterloo Region District School Board) and is now at $727 million is no longer sustainable.

I'm not a Conservative supporter due to their labour and environmental positions but I can't fault their math or their claims of bloat and waste in our educational system.