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Re: Political foes cry foul over Liberal candidate, former Newmarket mayor's severance, Oct. 4, 2019.
This blogger is on a political “witch hunt”:
I am responding to the article about Tony Van Bynen and the notion that he did something unethical or “foul” because he declared his severance pay in the year following his retirement instead of on his last year of service. In my mind this is a political “witch hunt”.
As a retired person who also received a modest retirement package, I will say that it is common practice for accountants to advise their clients whenever possible, to declare severance income on the year following retirement for tax purposes. This is a legal practice. It is not a criminal, unethical or devious act. It is simply a common and legal practice recommended by accountants to retiring clients who may be able to claim their severance package in the year following their retirement. So what is wrong with that?
I will also comment that Van Bynen’s severance package of $95,631 from the Town of Newmarket does not seem in any way excessive, considering the fact that he was the mayor of Newmarket, a position that involves long hours of service and enormous responsibility.
Personally, I am sick and tired of all of our politicians being vilified and targeted by political commentators and the public for their necessary service. Are you going out to clean your own sidewalks, dispose of your own garbage, dispense funds to maintain public spaces, libraries, hospitals and schools, etc.? The people who run for, and work in, public service are doing just that; performing public service. We all take advantage of that service.
If we want decent people to run for office and not people like Donald Trump, whose avarice and corruption is manifestly obvious, we need to be wary of targeting and seeing respectable politicians through the same lens as we see those who are truly and obviously corrupt.
Just my opinion,
Fran Bazos, Newmarket
