When the supposedly cash-strapped TransLink was discovered spending $615,000 on four pieces of public art, many taxpayers (including me) were upset. The last TransLink art piece was the $100,000 Main Street poodle on a pole. CTF supporter Regina Dalton sent me over the following email:

Forty years ago, I attended the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr U.), as did my father, who then made his living as a commercial artist.

I have sold my artwork, and received recognition at the provincial level. Thus I'm not exactly a Neanderthal when it comes to visual art.

That said, thank you so much for your very vocal opposition to the money being directed towards art using taxpayer dollars.

When I hear that those funds would translate to "only" a bus or two, I really reach the boiling point - why aren't taxpayers asked whether they want this to happen?  'Course I already have the answer - politicians and bureaucrats don't want to listen to those who pay their way.

And they are so insulated from reality, with their salaries, expense accounts and guaranteed retirement, that they have lost any and all connection with the average citizen.

I was particularly annoyed by the story (on Bill Good's show this morning) about the Mexican art freighted into Surrey Memorial Hospital.

When we have to fundraise for hospitals - and services for those with mental and emotional challenges are being cut - how can we remotely justify out-of-country art  (or for that matter, any art at all) purchased with public dollars?

Why are we not instead fundraising for the art?  That would give us a good indication whether it was desired or not.

Thank you again for standing up for taxpayers.