I FIND it very interesting indeed that Casey Mayor Sam Aziz has time to attend a community meeting that would no doubt have also been attended by Donald Trump supporters and the Klu Klux Klan if it was held in the United States at this time (Call For Respect, News, 17 March).
Cr Aziz is willing to meet with anti-mosque protesters but he has no time to meet with individuals, such as myself, who want to put forward ideas and strategies that would allow Casey council to function within the rates cap of 2.5 per cent next financial year without slashing essential services.
The real problem that needs to be looked at here is the issue of evidence.
There is absolutely no evidence that mosques have only a negative impact on their communities.
Mayor Sam Aziz and Casey council also have absolutely no evidence that any rates capping at 2.5 per cent will equate to slashing essential services (Council Applies To Blow Out Rates Cap, News, 11 March).
Casey’s policies should be influenced by facts and evidence not emotion or prejudice.
Casey residents and ratepayers have a clear choice.
We can demand that policies be driven by evidence and logic or we can allow the future of this municipality to be determined by fear and ignorance.
Cr Sam Aziz is not providing Casey residents with leadership by appealing to the latter instead of the former.
Casey’s future depends on transparency and a capacity for finding alternatives to the ideas of Donald Trump and the Klan.
John Glazebrook,
Endeavour Hills.
