Dear Editor:

I’ve written this letter in response to your recent front page article from the Aug. 12 edition of the Osoyoos Times regarding the money spent by this country’s public servants.

I think we all know where that money comes from and I would like to share my experience with others that question this extortion Canadians face every single day called “taxes.”

I have worked nearly 50 years in the forest industry and have had a large portion of my income seized by the mob called “income tax.”

I’ve still managed to save a few dollars and put it in the bank for safe keeping or so I thought, until one day recently I received a letter from the bank that they had sent my life savings to this mob of public servants that call themselves the Canada Revenue Agency.

This mob has repeatedly seized my bank account and garnisheed my pension cheques more times than I can remember.

The last time I went to cash my pension cheque at my local bank, they refused to cash it or allow me to deposit it.

I started another account with another financial institution and over the years, I saved a few dollars in that account as well.

I guess the “tax mob’ was keeping an eye on that account as well because the next thing I know, I get a letter from the manager of that institution informing me they had sent nearly $20,000 of my money, without my permission, to this mob of thieves.

So much for the concept that your money would be safe when deposited into a bank.

My local bank gave this mob nearly $10,000 from my tax free account.

I have many questions about why bank management would give Canada Revenue Agency the authority or permission to this extortion and ransom they call “taxes”.

Income tax was brought in to finance the First World War, which has been over for nearly 100 years.

All of the brave soldiers who took part in this war have passed on and were supposedly fighting for our freedom.

Nowhere in any election has the public given our approval for the government, who I call “The Mob”, to penalize the worker and reward the government drones.

To date, I have received no reply as to who has given this mob the right to take this money without my permission.

Until I do, I will send in a blank income tax form without any cheque attached.

If this is an example of how democracy works, I think it is long past time that a new system of government was invented.

Until there is, I will refuse to support this mob of parasites with money that I worked for.

I can’t believe this is how they treat seniors living on a pension.

For your information, I am 80 years old and have been retired and living on a pension for nearly 20 years.

Vern Rexin

Rock Creek, B.C.