City needs to reject police budget hike

Re: Hamilton police asking board for $16.5 million budget increase in 2026 , Nov. 23

It is astonishing, yet not at all surprising, to hear that Chief Frank Bergen and the Hamilton Police Service are again asking for another massive budget increase. This follows on the heels of several consecutive years of similar increases. Our police chief appears to have his head buried deeply in the sand and is completely ignorant of the financial realities already facing most citizens.

He will argue the money is necessary to keep us safe. But for anyone who pays attention to local news, and after a roughly 35 per cent budget increase across the past five years, does this city feel any safer? Has this money been well spent?

This year, after rubber stamping

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