The holidays are finally over, the kids back at school and 2013 promises to be a fascinating—and terrifying—year for B.C. taxpayers. A provincial budget is just seven weeks away, and the election is May 14^th. Who knows what Premier Clark and (if the polls are right) Premier Dix have in store for us?

So it’s time for our Monday Morning Quarterback—five things we’re thinking about in the B.C. office this week.

1. Vancouver Courier reporter Mike Howell lists what Vancouver City Hall politicians received gift-wise in 2012. Howell has tracked this for years, and it’s always interesting.

2. Loved this letter to the Nanaimo Daily News from a taxpayer fed up with constant property tax increases going to pay for raises at Nanaimo City Hall:

Why should taxpayers pay city employees a 40 per cent premium over private sector employees performing equivalent work? Is it fair that a on top of their substantial wage premium, a taxpayer struggling to pay their own dental or prescription costs also subsidize the rich plans of public servants?

And lest we forget, as taxpayers we’re also responsible for generous retirement plans padded by that 40% salary overpayment. Many ‘civil servants’ will retire much earlier than those in the private sector and increasing property taxes cripple the ability of non-public workers to save for their own retirement needs. This is a matter of fairness.

There is simply no reason for public workers to be placed on a pedestal. Their work and their commitment to the community is of neither less nor greater value than their neighbour held hostage by the ability of city council to raise taxes.

3. Richmond city taxpayers must be livid to see their city hall continue to pour millions of their tax dollars into the white elephant Olympic Oval. Mayor and Council have voted to spend another $2.4 million renovating a building that lost $5.6 million last year. This might be the most heavily municipal taxpayer-subsidized recreation facility in B.C.

4. Two UBC researchers say population demographics are not to blame for Vancouver School Board losing student numbers. I think I know where those missing kids are…

5. Prince George councillor Brian Skakun is on to something here. Disclosure records that only list contractors and dollar amounts lack context—what was the money for? That’s a fair question to ask.