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If Whitney can cancel her party, others should, too

    Re Feb. 20 article, “Popular Whitney gala a victim of recession”: If Marylou Whitney feels compelled to cancel her annual gala at the Canfield Casino in this crippling economic climate, perhaps our town and county governments can follow her altruistic example and nix their plans for spending on end-of-year dinners and parties.
    In my small town of Duanesburg alone, $2,000 has been appropriated for organizational and end-of-year dinners. While I understand the precedent of wanting to honor those in public service, what begins as an act of gratitude quickly turns into a yearly right. I wonder how many residents in my community will have difficulty putting a holiday dinner on the table this year?
    I wonder how community leaders can justify these extravagances when so many of our communities are hurting? While $2,000 may not seem like an extravagance to some, over five years (assuming there are no increases) that’s $10,000 on food and drink for a handful of people. I wonder how many people the City Mission can feed with $2,000? $10,000?
    This is one town. Multiple this for each local government in the state, and suddenly the money squandered is sickening.
    If a private citizen (albeit famous and wealthy) feels a moral responsibility to renounce the reveling this year, we certainly have the right to expect our public servants (frolicking on our dollars) to follow suit and make the honorable and responsible sacrifice.

    ROBIN BUNNELL
    Esperance