About the Blog:

Guelph Politico is locally sourced and dedicated to covering the political and cultural scene in the City of Guelph. Est. 2008.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

New Rule: Nobody's A Nazi. (Except actual members of the Nazi Party)

Seriously?
Comparing our leaders or our political opponents to the fascist state that nearly conquered the globe and committed millions of people to dying horrible deaths is an instrument used by a lot of people in the United States. It's become easy for them to compare George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Dick Cheney, or Nancy Pelosi to Hitler, or label them with terms like "Li'l Eichmann." (And don't even try and ask me about the whole thing with Obama painted as the Joker.) Anyway, I look at all this and think, well, at least we here in Canada can elevate ourselves to a level of political discourse where we don't compare people to Nazis.
My bad.
On a political high following last night's Mayoral Debate, I started scrolling through comment sections on various posts on the 59 Carden St blog. There's a post on there about The Guelph and District Labour Council's endorsement of several candidates in the coming election, and it's become one of those posts that's generated a lot of very heated commentary. 
Somewhere in the middle of all the comments was a three-way exchange about some information that Mayoral candidate Ray Mitchell posted about the legality of campaign donations from unions, saying that many municipalities in Ontario have outlawed the practice. Bill Hulet, a familiar poster on 59 Carden accused Mitchell of stretching the truth, saying:
"That's the same sort of politics that guys like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Joseph Goebbels follow."
Limbaugh, Beck and Goebbels? Worst. Dinner Party. Ever. 
But seriously, Goebbels? The implication, whether purposefully implied or not, is that Mitchell is cut from the same moral character as a Nazi. I'm no fan of either Limbaugh or Beck, one's an unrepentant drug abuser and the other is mad without a hat, but I would never in my wildest tantrum call them Nazis. To me, in a political discussion, comparing someone to a Nazi is like telling someone you'll kill them if you ever see their face again. It's a statement you may not have meant literally, but there's really no way to get around that because chances are, you're not going to kill that person if you see them again. 
The blog soon moved on to other matters and it seemed that there were no more Nazi comparisons to be made. It was a lively discussion and I send a virtual high-five to everyone that made it through to the end. Still, while the post was mostly issues focused, that one incident of name dropping Goebbels has got me grinding my gears. Disagreement is fine. Argument is fine. But throwing a Nazi uniform on people is just one small step to this:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

UPDATE! Flooding at Carden/Macdonell? Seemingly.

From the tip lines comes word that the construction at the corner of Carden Street and Macdonell has caused some flooding in local businesses. My tipster says that the flooding happened last night and caused an unspecified amount of damage to nearby business like Guelph Music and Wild Rose, while forcing restaurants like La Cuccina to close tonight because of water shut-offs. I was just down at the site, and it appears that workers have a pump going, while there seems to be signs of flooding a little further up Carden across from the Provincial courthouse (old City Hall). See the pics below and if you have any information to add to this story either post here, send me a tweet @adamadonaldson or fire me off an e-mail at adamadonaldson{at]]gmail[dot]com.

UPDATE:

I received an e-mail from mayoral candidate and Dis-a-Ray Antiques owner Ray Mitchell this morning.
"Hey- They just broke the sewer at the Carden/MacDonnell intersection (my "Axis of Evil"), it will be shut down for 10-12 days, Ouderkirk and Taylor are SO screwed"

Ray's "Axis of Evil" comment was from last night's Mercury sponsored Mayor's debate (which I plan on writing about shortly). Regardless it seems that something serious is going on at the Macdonell/Carden corner. I haven't had the opportunity to investigate further because of more present concerns like making money and job-hunting lately, but I encourage people to keep sending me info. 




Candidate Questionnaire - Mike Salisbury (Ward 4)

1) Why did you want to run again for city council?
The City of Guelph is in the midst of a transition - from a small, progressive community to a much more complex and diverse mid-sized city. We require leadership capable of navigating this transition - a council capable of seizing the opportunities while preserving the character and quality of life that makes Guelph so unique.
This council has worked together with city departments, the community and other governments in an environment of respect, integrity, and mutual understanding in order to effectively manage this multi-million dollar corporation we call Guelph.
My personal vision for the City of Guelph is to build upon this legacy and making Guelph an inspiring place to live – invest – and to visit. I want an outstanding quality of life for all residents of this city. I want to continue to build on this vision – for our families – and for our future prosperity.

2) What initiatives/achievements are you proud of during the last term?
A new transit terminal on Carden Street will accommodate Guelph Transit buses; inter-city VIA Rail and Greyhound buses; and GO Rail service, which is being extended to Guelph.
Facing a revenue shortfall of $8.1 million in 2010, Council passed a fiscally responsible budget for 2010, with emphasis on keeping property taxes low while protecting City services.
A new economic development and tourism strategy for Guelph, Prosperity 2020, was developed to guide Guelph’s economic development and tourism for the next decade.
The City purchased, renovated, and opened a new emergency shelter for at-risk youth and efforts are currently underway to increase the number of beds available at the facility from eight to 16.
Guelph Transit is developing a new Transit Growth Strategy and Plan for transit and mobility services.
A contract to construct the new Organic Waste Processing Facility was signed, and demolition and site servicing work began in the fall.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues?

a) Taxes
We must control spending and exercise fiscal responsibility if we are going to help struggling families make ends meet and help businesses retain and create jobs.

b) Budget
Over the last term we started doing business differently. These measures included new policies that set limits on debt, establish minimum reserve levels, and cap the use of property taxes for capital projects, as well as a new priority ranking tool that brings new discipline to capital planning.
This term, a new debt management policy and updated reserve policy was established to ensure we control capital spending and bring the necessary discipline to our budget decision making. This new budget process and format means that future budgets will deal with issues instead of hiding or deferring their costs and ensures that we live within our means.

c) Transit
Perhaps the most exciting (and overdue) initiative was the development of the Transit Growth Strategy. The strategy combines increased service frequency during peak periods and off peak periods combined with a host of routing improvements which addresses long standing complaints about the radial transit system we have struggled with for years.
I believe we are making strong headway but there is still much more to be done.

d) Development/Infrastructure
The City of Guelph was successful in securing more than $44.4 million from the federal and provincial governments for 21 infrastructure projects that will create jobs and help build a stronger community.
Roads and pipes, cultural spaces and recreation facilities will all be improved. It may be a pain to deal with this level of disruption but the results will be well worth it, positioning Guelph for the future.

e) Arts & Culture
Arts and Culture are not just “pretty things” but a highly valuable economic development tool in the new economy.
One of the world’s largest solar companies searched across the province for the new manufacturing facility and selected Guelph over several other major cities. Guelph was selected as a result of the quality of life, diverse highly educated population and a commitment to sustainability.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?
One of the most troubling issues in the West End is the proliferation of vandalism, petty crime and graffiti. In addition to requesting staff to develop a comprehensive public and private property graffiti bylaw, I am chairing the Skate Park Relocation Committee in order to ensure the adequate development of amenities for our youth. Boredom breeds trouble – engagement breeds a pride of ownership in our community.



5) What’s your message for voters?
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve my community as City Councillor; it has been one of the most significant and meaningful responsibilities I have undertaken in my career.
I would like to thank my constituents for their faith in me and ask for their support to represent their interests at City Hall for a second term.

Candidate Questionnaire - Gloria Kovach (Ward 4)

1) Why did you want to run again for city council?
I love Guelph. It is where I was born, grew up and raised a family. It is where I live and work and where my family lives and works. In addition to representing the residents of Ward 4 for the past 20 years, I am a President Emeritus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, a health care professional and a parent. I believe my diverse experience, dedication and hard work will help to make Guelph the best municipality in Canada. It has been a privilege to serve the residents of Ward 4 and the City of Guelph and I ask for their continued support.

2) What initiatives/achievements are you proud of during the last term?
Having Guelph recognized as the most caring community in Canada does not happen by chance. During the last term of council we have reviewed the Transit Growth Strategy and Mobility Services in consultation with riders to develop a new model of service delivery that will be more responsive to residents’ needs.
We developed the Community Energy Initiative which will ensure energy conservation and savings while at the same time dealing with the demands of the Provinces mandated growth. We have significantly reduced energy use and costs in the City of Guelph.
We enhanced water protection and efficiency strategies and ensured source water protection. We initiated a water leak detection program.
We have brought employment lands on stream and have worked to attract business and jobs to this City. We did not sell Guelph Hydro.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues?

a) Taxes
…Are too high! We can’t raid our reserves or mortgage our future by financing our current wants and saddling ourselves with long term debt…this is not sustainable. We need to decrease our reliance on debt and not mortgage our children’s future. Studies show that our potential for economic development is constrained by increased taxes. Council needs to be able to make tough decisions and set priorities.

b) Budget
We need to enhance our financial policies and procedures. We have an open, participatory process of public input during the decision making process. Our debt policy limits should be lower than 55 per cent, the increase brought in by this council.

c) Transit
The Transit Growth Strategy and Plan and Mobility Services Review was done in consultation with riders and the community and will provide a more responsive transit service. We are also looking to develop partnerships with larger employers and looking at the development of service hubs to have more direct routes and shorter travel times. Green fleet policies were introduced to reduce fuel consumption. Close to 14 kms of bike lanes are being installed as part of the infrastructure renewal projects.

d) Development/Infrastructure
As President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, I was able to negotiate long term funding from the federal government for municipalities to address infrastructure needs. In addition, Guelph received $48 million in funding from the Federal and Provincial governments and is contributing $22 million to address our infrastructure needs.

e) Arts & Culture
We have numerous festivals and activities in Guelph which we need to market for increased tourism in the City. At the River Run alone, we have over 500 events annually with 130,000 patrons and 13,000 children attending twice per year. Our facilities offer over 3,160 programs to choose from and 1.73 million items are borrowed from our City libraries annually. We partner to fund the Mcdonald-Stewart Art Centre and have over 246 parks and 74 kms of park trails in the City. We need to ensure we work closer with immigration services to ensure we embrace our City’s diversity and provide services which are culturally sensitive.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?
The future will provide challenges and opportunities around growth. The Province through legislation, Places to Grow has mandated that the City grow to 175,000 by 2031 – that’s 54,000 more people and 32,000 more jobs. Experience is needed to deal with the challenges of the density requirements and to ensure growth is sustainable and is compatible with existing neighbourhoods.

5) What’s your message for voters?
On October 25th, vote for a strong voice on City Council. Vote to re-elect Gloria Kovach…experience counts! If you have any further questions, I can be reached at: gloria[at]gloriakovach[dot]com

Candidate Questionnaire - Maggie Laidlaw (Ward 3)

1) Why did you want to run again for city council?

I can’t wait to see the fruition of all of the groundwork that has been laid for major projects in the next four years. I want to be there to see our city unfolding as not just one of the best places to live in Canada but THE best!
  • A new downtown transit terminal that links local and regional buses, as well as regional rail
  • A Green Building Strategy to move us even further along the path of environmental sustainability
  • Completion of the Organics Waste facility
  • Conversion of the former Loretto Convent to the new Guelph Museum
  • An influx of “clean and green” businesses in the Hanlon Creek Business Park and the York Road Guelph Innovation District
  • Completion of the Pollinator Park and Eastview Park
  • An innovative “live/work/play” district on the former LaFarge property
  • Downtown revitalization to improve the quality of our downtown and reduce the negativity associated with late-night problems
  • An increase in the number of affordable rental housing units, and in the availability of affordable home ownership
  • Significant reduction in the incidence and level of poverty in our midst
  • Etc., etc.
My pet projects are getting the new downtown library up and running sooner than 2015 and finding a permanent home for our Arts and Culture Community.

2) What initiatives/achievements are you proud of during the last term?
As an incumbent in Ward 3, I have to say that this council has worked so well together that I am going to list just some of our many achievements:
  • $48 million in badly-needed infrastructure funding from other levels of government;
  • Natural Heritage Strategy;
  • No! to a Lake Erie pipeline;
  • Water Conservation Strategy;
  • Community Energy Plan and Implementation;
  • Bicycle-friendly City Plan;
  • Waste Management Master Plan;
  • Organics facility back on track;
  • A tree bylaw update that will help to increase our tree canopy
  • A Transit Growth Strategy and Plan that will serve Guelph well into the 21st century
  • A long-term Capital Financing Strategy to ensure that any project presented to council comes with its sources of funding before a shovel goes in the ground
  • Etc., etc.
Personally, I am particularly proud of the fact that we have continued to expand our bike lanes, and, in fact, now have a bylaw in place which ensures that any road reconstruction and new road design includes bike lanes wherever possible. We still have a long way to go to become truly “bicycle-friendly”, but we are certainly moving in that direction.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes
While many on the right of the political agenda accused this council of being fiscally profligate (“big-time spenders”; “spending like drunken sailors” were just two of the expressions I heard, even on election night 2006), our taxes increased by 16.2 per cent in 4 years (average 4.05 per cent per year), compared to the 14.9 per cent in three years (average 5.56 pre cent per year) by a so-called fiscally conservative majority on council. In other words, that council majority delivered less and cost more in terms of tax increases during their three years than this council has in four years.
During this term, we moved significantly to curb the costs of growth, by instigating a cost-recovery program. We almost doubled development charges so that growth pays for itself and is not subsidised by existing residents. We believe in value for money! I was a minority member of the previous council and was outvoted by the majority most of the time. This council has delivered on the commitment of fiscal transparency and integrity: for example, $20 million in sewage savings due to optimization of current facilities, and $48 million in infrastructure funding from other levels of government and from Rink Rats’ fundraising efforts.
Municipal taxes are only 7 per cent of overall taxes, and give much more value for money than do other levels of government. Contrary to popular opinion, we are on the low end of property and other taxes, in comparison with other similar sized cities in southern Ontario (surveys done by independent assessment companies). We give value for money! For example, we have built maintenance costs into all of our facilities. Which would you rather have a slum landlord who keeps rents low but does no repairs and allows buildings to run down, or a landlord who builds small increases into rent costs, in order to maintain and upkeep buildings? We need to spend a buck to make a buck; people who make money invest strategically, and that’s what we do here in Guelph!
However, I still believe that property taxes are the wrong way to fund municipal services. At least a part of municipal revenue should come from municipal income taxes, just as provincial and federal taxes fund provincial and federal services. By this means, municipal taxes would be based on income and therefore on ability to pay, a much more equitable system than property taxes. I agree with the Canada West Foundation—wherever the bulk of taxation is on property owners, the system will never work properly. The alternative, a municipal income tax system, would mean that we benefit from economic expansion, while seniors on fixed incomes and young families with modest incomes will not run the risk of losing their homes because of increasing property taxes.

b) Budget
This council decided early in its term that the budgetary process needed to begin earlier in the year, with more directives from council to both our staff and our Boards and Commissions. This gave us all more time to come up with a budget that would be acceptable to the greatest number of people. We set a goal regarding the maximum increase that we felt could be tolerated by city residents, and often asked staff and boards to pare down their expectations and requests for expansion items. We have even had to ask for budgetary reductions, especially when the global recession hit. Any fat that may have been in our system has long since been cut, so we try to keep any further cuts to a minimum, in order to maintain services, particularly essential ones, for those who most require them. We also held budget nights for city residents, so they could have a say on what they saw as the most pressing budgetary items. This system has worked very well, and I will support its continuation.
We also introduced a Capital Financing Strategy, in order to ensure that any project presented to council came with its sources of funding already identified, long before a shovel goes in the ground. This allows us to keep our debt within reasonable limits and to plan strategically for the future.

c) Transit
Two of the major initiatives that will come to fruition next term of council are a new downtown transit terminal that links local and regional buses, as well as regional rail, and a Transit Growth Strategy and Plan that will serve Guelph well into the 21st century. We are also looking at a new electronic operating system for transit, and together, these initiatives will really put the focus on a strong, timely and accessible transit system throughout the city. We must make our transit system as convenient and reliable as the private automobile, while remaining affordable to all. I have always been a strong supporter of transit on council, and I have argues on several occasions against transit fare increases. Like other members of council, if I had known that voting for five days off without pay for all city staff, including members of council, would have meant cutting bus service, I would not have supported it. If we want to increase our ridership, we MUST keep fares down and service consistent and reliable.

d) Development/Infrastructure
Those are really two issues, interlinked. The Chamber of Commerce asked the following question of all those running in this election: What would you do to help facilitate development and speed the process in development applications? Here is my response:
I’m not sure I want to “facilitate development” if it means the same sort of rampant growth we have seen in the past 20 years. I do not believe that the timelines for development applications are unduly long. Guelph is a city where council believes that residents should be part of the development process from the earliest time-points, and I fully endorse community involvement. This often means developers sitting down with staff and residents to iron out difficulties and to reach compromise solutions that are acceptable to all. Two good examples of this approach in Ward 3 are the LaFarge development and the development at Glasgow and Waterloo. Outside of Ward 3, the development out on Downey Road is another example of residents having a strong and effective say in how their neighbourhood grows. I also believe in full environmental assessment whenever required. Cutting corners is simply short-term gain for long term pain.
I am not a fan of unbridled growth, such as Guelph has undergone for 20 years or more. In fact I am co-organising a conference for November 10th at the university, looking at this precise issue. We hope to have Dr. Peter Victor from York University speaking about his book on a no-growth scenario, as well as an excellent speaker on peak oil, one on real environmental sustainability, on the global footprint, and others – keep a lookout for posters coming soon.
However, the province is currently pushing all municipalities to accept a significant number of new residents in the next 20 years. Guelph’s Growth Management Plan will ensure that we no longer accept urban sprawl as a model of growth, but that intensification will be our model, with great public transit and nodes of neighbourhoods at appropriate points along transit routes. We will create a community of communities, with smaller house lots, and lots of diversity in housing, such as stacked townhouses, 3- 4 storey apartments, and housing above commercial centres. We are not advocating a high-rise city, just a form of housing and neighbourhood development that is common in European cities.
We also have to ensure that there are jobs for all our new residents, and the Hanlon Creek Business Park and York Road Innovation District will help us to ensure that we don’t just become a bedroom community for Toronto. The recent decision by Canadian Solar to locate in Guelph is a prime example of the type of jobs we hope to attract – high-paying environmental jobs for the future, so that our university graduates will decide to stay and settle in our great city.
As for our infrastructure, the current mass of infrastructure work that is taking place on Guelph roads is a nuisance, granted – and sometimes more than a nuisance, but it is short term. It has to be finished by March 31st of next year, and it has saved us $48 million because of funding by other levels of government. By this time next year, it will all be done and we will have much improved roads with many more bike lanes – smooth and safe for bicycle-commuting!

e) Arts & Culture
I have listed Arts and Culture as one of my priorities for the next term of council. Specifically, our thriving Arts and Culture community needs a permanent home, and I will champion that cause if I am re-elected. Guelph is a city of music, and we should be “tooting our own horn” (pardon the pun) much more, in that regard. Richard Florida has written extensively about the importance of “the culture class”, so we must nurture it more. We should become a “Destination” for tourists – if Elora can do it, so can we! I would like to see a pedestrian precinct in the downtown core, with open air cafes, points of interest and bustling unique places to shop. I have been a Hillside volunteer for more than 10 years, and I know the value of our festivals to the greater region. We must continue to support our unique and important arts and culture community.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?
My primary concern is the environment. We in the western world are living way beyond the capacity of our Planet Earth, while those in developing countries do not have enough to eat, no clean water, and, in many cases, toxic environments, thanks to pollution by big western companies. As the saying goes, we need to think globally and act locally. We need to get out of our cars, use fewer resources such as energy and water, and find ways to help our fellow citizens in poor countries. We also need to realize that the environment can’t be an afterthought to the economy. They are equally important, as are social justice issues. Every decision we make should take all three into consideration. A thriving economy cannot be allowed to cause environmental devastation or social disruption. A sound economy is one where a sustainable environment is front and centre, and where everyone has a place to live and food on the table. Please do not vote for candidates talking solely about debt and taxes, without considering anything else.

5) What’s your message for voters?
In a nutshell, PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE! Remember that during the last election, one of the people trying for a council seat won by just a single vote! The turnout for municipal elections is notoriously low, typically less than 40 per cent, despite the fact that this is the level of government closest to the people and the one which you can most easily and effectively influence. Just think, you and you alone could have the final say on who sits at the council table in Guelph, and in how this city will look 10 years from now. Take five minutes out of your busy day on October 25th and go vote. Your children will thank you!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Candidate Questionnaire - Craig Chamberlain (Ward 3)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?
I didn’t take the decision to run lightly, in part because of my experiences of being a candidate in the 2006 election. It was a dirty election. I ran a disciplined campaign and steered clear of the polarized fighting, remaining true to my message and platform (I called it the Common Ground Campaign), which was about starting with the positive assumption that we all want what is best for the city, and to start from positions of mutual agreement. I was approached by various people at various times over this past summer, and after a lot of thought about it, decided that I was the right person to bring much-needed change in Ward 3 representation and much-needed balance on council.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?
This past council was out of touch with most people’s realities. It spent too much, too fast on a special interest-driven agenda, committing taxpayers and future councils to capital expenditures people cannot afford and many do not support. It seemed as though the recession was an inconvenience for this council. This council had a need to remake Guelph in its image. They branded their term on almost any flat surface they could, even in road asphalt, using colours that seemed more appropriate for a marina. I know that is a minor issue but it epitomized for me just how out of touch this council was with residents’ needs.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes
Taxes are the number one issue in this election. I think this highlights how close people are to living at the edge, and I think it reveals a degree of non-confidence in this council’s special interest-agenda – people do not support how their taxes are being used, they don’t support the spending, and they are in no mood with how hard they are working to make ends meet to further subsidize it. And I think this fundamental lack of confidence in the agenda was the driving force for many in not supporting the sale (merger) of Guelph Hydro with Horizon. It was a lack of confidence in that direction because people simply did not trust how the proceeds from that merger would be used – to finance more capital project empire building. The whole issue revealed that the public had picked up on the “demons” if you will about this council – and were right on. I have heard a number of times over this past term, “we have to get this or that through with this council, because we won’t have the numbers for it in the next council”. That’s not how I operate. I cannot push something through that people don’t support. It’s their money and their particular collective wisdom.
The fact of the matter is the debt load for the city has increased and that debt needs to carried in future operating budgets, so special-interest driven spending does impact on what future councils can achieve operationally, because it has to be paid for with taxes.

b) Budget
We need to put people first, and get back to the basics of municipal government. This past council was too head-strong in its campaign to remake Guelph in its own image, spending as it did on the downtown core. For the businesses that manage to survive all of the construction in and around the downtown, they may be happy with the direction of the past term; otherwise I cannot help but look at it all as a bit manic in the energy and disruption that happened there, in the name of political legacies. And it’s hard to think about what it would have been to have a business there through it all and not think, “with friends like that, who needs enemies?” As for my spending priorities, I think of things like fixing broken sidewalks so that those with mobility issues or strollers aren’t having difficulty using them and that they are put ahead of building empires.
That’s what I mean by getting back to the basics of municipal government, and there is a deeper wisdom to it. We need the sidewalks cleared in the winter because it’s important that people can use them safely, and for seniors, its part of assisting them to live independently and to have the exercise they need to maintain their muscle tone and overall health. Also, if you want to promote walkable communities, the sidewalks have to be in good repair and cleared in the winter – having sidewalks in poor repair or uncleared is, in my opinion, a poor way to promote that kind of lifestyle change. Unfortunately, this sort of issue is not sexy enough for some, and had it not been for stimulus money most of the work that was done would not have happened.

c) Transit
I want to see buses pull into commercial nodes, wherever possible. I like how it happens at Stone Road Mall and I imagine we all appreciate being able to wait for a bus inside when it is frigid cold and when there are smog and heat advisories. And imagine for a moment what it is for our seniors to get off a bus in the heat or the snow at curbside, having to navigate heat off the asphalt or the ice and snowbanks as they make their way across parking lots to get to the entrances of these commercial buildings. We can do better as a community for our seniors and those with mobility issues. For transit, it will be good to revisit collaboration with our friend to the west for inter-city transit.

d) Development/Infrastructure
This council spent too much too fast. I understand there was stimulus money. In our own lives, if there is a sale on... furniture... somewhere, we may go get a few things we were wanting, and if we are lucky we might even get a new dining set or a new bedroom suite. We generally don’t go out and replace ALL of our furniture because it’s on sale. It may be a great sale, but we know we need to keep some money for things down the road – the roof looks like it’s going to need to be replaced in the near future and we can’t max ourselves out on new furniture. We have to get away from talking about how much money was saved. No money was saved. Saving money is not spending it, but socking it away somewhere safe. What happened is we spent less than we would have. Just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should go to the max with it. It’s not how we would run our households and it’s certainly not how we should run our city.

e) Arts & Culture
We have some great festivals that enrich our community and bring in tourist dollars. I am hopeful that with its higher profile location the new civic museum will be able to cover its future operational and capital costs (it is an older building) and provide financial gains for the city.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?
We need to get to a place in this city where we can look critically at proposals without being characterized as someone who “doesn’t get it” or is some kind of jerk. It shuts down the healthy and necessary discussion we need to make sure what we are doing makes sense and that there is broad support for it, because it truly merits it, not because the people who are asking the difficult questions have been vilified and their voices marginalized.
Otherwise, we can get ourselves into a lot trouble, fast, with our spending. And quite frankly, pushing something through may work over the short term, but if the due diligence is lacking, that will become apparent, and support for the whole idea is at risk. Just as I said above, there was a fundamental lack of confidence in what this past council said was important because it was obvious that it was too headstrong and agenda-driven to be objective.
Let’s suppose Project X is important for good reasons. Presently, the way to promote it is to talk about its wonderful aspects without discussing the downside or risks attached to it, and ramming it through – but it’s not a good idea until the plan to implement it makes it a good idea. This past council didn’t understand that. In the end, how Project X is implemented will determine what people think of it, and if it is based on noble ideas of what we can be as a community, those who have rammed it through and have left us paying for a white elephant has not done anyone any favours. Because the facts do eventually come out.
We need to get away from needing villains and scapegoats for our problems, and take responsibility for the ways we have failed. We need to own our role in the debacle with the County, and not make city staff defend themselves for wanting to go to work in the morning and pay their mortgages.

5) What’s your message for voters?

It’s time for change in Ward 3. We need more balance on Council, we need representation in Ward 3 that puts the issues in Ward 3 first, instead of trolling the party line, and I can do that with balance and integrity. We need councillors that that represent Ward 3 to council, not council to Ward 3.
This past council spent too much, too fast, committing us to debt many of us cannot afford, for expenditures many to not even approve of. It’s time to get back to the basics of municipal government, which is about ensuring services are maintained and the nuts and bolts of the city are maintained. Spending sprees that leave the City maxed out and needing its staff to lock the doors and go home is not good management – it’s just a bad way to do business.
You won’t see an election sign for me. I have decided that I have to not just talk about less spending and being careful with other people’s money, I have to demonstrate that with my campaign. I have heard a lot of stories of heartbreak and courage as people pick up the pieces or soldier on from the downturn in the economy, and not spending money on election signs is one way I can show that I understand and respect that.
Thank you for your questions.

Candidate Questionnaire - Linda Murphy (Ward 1)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?
I decided to run for council to serve my community. I feel that my experience in finance, governance, policy planning and management has given me the skills necessary to be a successful councillor. My values and work ethics have prepared me to give back to this wonderful community. My main agenda is to put the citizens of this ward first. Their voices need to be heard, they need to be kept informed and be brought forward to help make the decisions that will be affecting them and their families for generations to come.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?
The last council passed a 3.66 per cent tax increase for 2010 which is higher than our surrounding communities. This is unacceptable. They have fractured their relationship with the county at the taxpayer’s expense. Our debt at the end of 2009 was $95 million and they incurred $26 million in new debts in 2009. If the interest rates increase this city could have some serious monetary issues.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes
This council keeps saying they have had the lowest tax increases since the “Quarrie Days” yet they neglect to mention their increases are higher than our surrounding communities. I would like to see lower tax increases. I firmly believe that cutting services is not the answer, cutting expenses and increasing efficiency is what needs to be done.

b) Budget
Did you know that our budget for 2009 was created with a surplus of $33 million and in actuality we only received a surplus of $16 million? That is very clear that this council cannot stay within a budget. Did you also know that only two interim budget variance reports for April and July have made it to the Audit Committee? I strongly feel that this is not accountability and transparency. As stakeholders of this community, we should know how our money is being spent monthly. I know if elected this issue will definitely be brought forward.

c) Transit
Transit needs to be affordable to all the citizens of this community. We need to revisit the pricing structure and increase transit’s efficiencies. The city wants to reduce the use of cars, yet they keep increasing the fares.

d) Development/Infrastructure
We need to ensure that all development is done economically, environmentally and culturally sustainable. The W.C. Woods site should help fill our needs for the provinces mandated “Places to Grow” but we need to weigh in the concerns of the citizens that live in that area.

e) Arts & Culture
I am a big supporter of Arts & Culture. I am an artist myself and my son is a musician and his band has utilized the facilities downtown for performances. Personally, I would love to see the Italian Festival become as big a landmark as Kitcheners Oktoberfest. Now that would help our tourism problems also. Guelph is a culturally diverse community and we need to embrace that and build on it.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?
I would like to see the East End of Ward 1 become complete in its development. The citizens are lacking retail/commercial amenities; there also is serious traffic and parking issues that need to be dealt with.

5) What’s your message for voters?
I am passionate about this great city. I have lived in Ward 1 for 41 years. I have leadership experience, a strong voice to bring issues forward to council. I hold fiscal responsibility, accountability and a strong work ethic in the highest regard. I give back to the community with my volunteering with the under privileged and I have great listening skills. I am a taxpayer and just like you would like to see a change. So please contact me at 519-823-0399 or linda_murphy[at]rogers[dot]com or visit my website www.lindamurphyward1guelph.com for more info. And remember folks; please vote it truly does matter!!!!

Candidate Questionnaire - Ray Mitchell (Mayor)

1) Why did you want to run for mayor?

I didn’t want to run. I was forced to since no one else stepped forward, and I was not impressed by either of the frontrunners.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

I thought it was horrible. They demonized the young, built walls between our city and the county, spent too much on the wrong things, and raped the wild. And now they’re trying to put a positive spin on it all.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues:

a) Taxes
Taxes have gone up, services have declined. Nuff said.

b) Budget
Once the new Wet/Dry comes in at $275 per tonne, the budget goes out the window. Police want six per cent and we’ll probably give it to them.

c) Transit
Transit is the fallback position to cut when money is needed as it primarily hurts the poor, and we know they don’t vote. Cutting bus services was probably the meanest thing this council did.

d) Development/Infrastructure
We need to start infilling immediately, like yesterday. And instead we gutted rental units in the downtown core while simultaneously building monster homes in the suburbs. It’s obscene.

e) Arts & Culture
We gutted arts and culture in the downtown core because it primarily benefited poor students and poor youth and again, we know they don’t vote. Another obscenity.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

We need electoral reform to increase transparency, mitigate the efforts of Big Money on elections, and eliminate all appearances of graft and influence peddling.

5) What’s your message for voters?

25,000 students can vote and don’t. Please vote or spoil your ballots.

Boynton Says Hold the Raise and Pass the Cannoli

Last week at the Ward 4 debate, candidate Cam Guthrie was emphatic that if elected he will not accept the planned pay increase for councillors. In a perhaps trend setting move, Ward 1 candidate Allan Boynton announced his intention to do likewise if elected. Here's Boynton's statement here:

It is with great pleasure that I announce today that if elected Ward 1 City Councillor, I will at no point over the next 4 year term support a raise in any Council salary as well as Mayor.

I feel that we are in desperate need of leadership and that council salaries and benefeits are handsome enough as it is. We need to show leadership to our taxpayers and leaders lead by example. I would only be one vote at a table of many, but you can be sure that this will be one of the first things dealt with in a term of a new council.

I would strongly urge all candidates for Ward Councillors as well as Mayor to take the same approach. It is time we froze it for at least one term and took potential raises and put it back into services that our tax payers need and deserve.

The cartoon is a 2009 offering The USA Today, and I thought it might be apropos.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Candidate Questionnaire - Mark Enchin (Ward 3)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?

I felt the present council was out of control when it came to spending. They seem to have lost touch with the people of Guelph. Over the years many people have come to me telling me that I would be a good representative of the people of this city. Not only because I am from Guelph, but because I have a good understanding of the issues on both sides of the fence. Business and Social programs. In my past I have been able to bring the two together to create a win-win for everyone.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

I think they performed extremely well. They were a cohesive unit, worked well together and did everything they were told to do by the Mayor and City Staff.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues?

a) Taxes
We need to get more commercial and industrial taxes into our coffers so we can balance the tax base better. Currently I feel the residents are bearing a greater percentage of the taxes this city is collecting. It should be at least 20 per cent commercial /industrial. Look at different opportunities to collect revenue from services we presently contract out. And look at reducing the waste in government. Speak to the people that work in the jobs to find out how to better manage their time, instead of creating more reports and committees to investigate it. Just ask the people!

b) Budget
We have to stop hiring consultants to do our job(s). If we can’t make our own decisions then we need to get rid of the people in those positions and hire the right ones. The damage has been done with the new city hall, transit station, civic museum, etc. We spend money on items that we can live without and ignore the items that give our residents a better quality of life, such as: community and recreation centers, more parkland, downtown parking, level sidewalks, better social services and programs for our seniors and youth. Take care of the people that are living here now and stop trying to impress the ones that aren’t. Create a marketing and promotion department for the city that handles advertising for the city instead of contracting that out to outside companies. (Bus advertising for example.)

Where’s the audit report for this city? Let the people see how they are spending our money so we can give them input on where to cut back.

c) Transit
Co-ordinate our bus schedule to run more efficiently using transfers throughout the whole city, not just downtown. Offer free bus passes to people that can’t afford it, like people on social assistance and disability pensions. They can’t afford to ride the bus anyways so why not give them the opportunity to get around the city to help them find jobs, shop, get to appointments and take their children to events. It’s not like we’d be losing revenue, since they don’t use it now, anyways.

We need more transit between cities like Cambridge and Kitchener/Waterloo. I don’t know if this is under our jurisdiction, but buses and trains for commuters to use in the golden triangle can only strengthen our economic base and make it more attractive for people to live in these areas.

The problem with our downtown transit is there is no parking. How do we expect people to commute to Toronto from downtown when they have to walk up to half a kilometre to park their vehicles? We needed a GO station for years in this town but city hall has always fought them from coming in the past. And now that it comes to Aberfoyle how is that convenient for the people of Guelph?

d) Development/Infrastructure

We need to make things easier for developers and builders to develop new projects in this city. We are losing good builders that have moved on to other cities because they are tired of the red tape and bureaucracy that Guelph is famous for. We need to implement a new workflow software program that enables all participants in the approval process to be involved. Much of this can be done on-line and would make city hall more accountable for their actions.

We are to add another 50,000 people to this city over the next few decades, without expanding the city limits, without cutting down any trees, without any new planned neighbourhoods offering all the amenities required by the residents. The only place we can grow is up or under. And as a realtor in this town I can tell you that it is too costly to build apartments and even condos without subsidies from the government. So how is this going to be accomplished? My clients still want a house with a nice backyard on a quiet street for their kids to play in – no problem right? No problem if you have a $500,000, because that is what it will cost in 10 years.

I use to move a lot of people into this town because of the small town feel Guelph had. For some, back then it was still too big and they were moving up to Fergus and Elora. Now I’m finding that people are looking to get out of the southend and eastend because they feel it is too much like suburbia and everything is becoming “cookie cutter” from the houses to the plaza’s, to the franchises and big box stores. So do we have to grow like the province tells us we should? Or can we put our efforts into developing neighbourhoods in the outer parts of Guelph to be like the ones we grew up with; Riverside Park, Exhibition Park, St. George’s Park, Woodland Glen.

We cannot create communities like these in other parts of Guelph because we’ve been legislated not to. Over time people will come to realize that life is more than commuting to work, driving kids all around and sorting their garbage. I know the people living in these older neighbourhoods have figured it out. Where are the rest of us going to go?

e) Arts & Culture
Well it was just announced that the city is giving another $56,000 to do another study. The study is going to tell them what they already know, like most studies. Which is to find locations in the downtown that are big enough to accommodate a variety of different artists for performance, training, galleries, etc. So I walked downtown and spoke to some local artists, visited a dance studio, talked to the Guelph Arts Council to find out what they wanted. Turns out that they would like to have the public library for a new performing arts centre. Except that the city has deferred building the new public library, because they have no money. So they are at a standstill, but we have $70,000 dollars that’s in the budget, sooooo let’s spend it.

Now we all know that artists in general do not have a lot of money, so why not give the arts council the 70k to use as a down payment on the library when it is ready to be moved? I know they will require much more, but at least it is going towards something concrete and real and will enable the artists in this city to focus on a place they know they will eventually have.

This unfortunately is how I think, less studies, more action – put the money in the hands of the people that need it and stop trying to manage everyone’s life.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

I’ve been running in this campaign for only a couple of weeks, but have come to realize that the bureaucracy is too much for one person to take on. Every business person I have spoken to has told me to stop trying to change things and just get back to my business. I know they are right and I know I shouldn’t care but I do. I care because I know the people in my town are not getting the representation they deserve or the funding for their non-profit organizations, community groups and social services. The city spends millions each year on building up the infrastructure but none of the money ever gets to the people, it only gets put back into the machine that is government.

I spoke to the people working in my Ward involved with Onward Willow and the United Way at a poverty briefing. They were telling me how difficult it was to get funding from the city and county for programs and studies for research. We’re talking in the hundreds of thousands. So I asked how much of that money actually gets put in the hands of the people on social assistance.

I got this look back from this lady who must have thought I had come from another planet. “The money we get from the city goes to pay our wages, we have to spend a lot of our time just fighting for funding to keep our jobs” she said to me.

“Really? So the 2,700 families in Guelph don’t get any money from the city?” “No”, she said, “I think they get a discount on bus fare.” “How much” I asked, “I don’t really know” she said. “I’ll have to ask someone.”

So, the people living in the lowest income bracket in our city get a discount on their bus tickets and that’s all the city gives these people. This, after I was told by the United Way that they did a study (costing thousands of dollars, of course) determining that these people cannot afford to even take the bus, discount or not and that these people have been on waiting lists for years to get into affordable housing units that I’m told are old and in need of repair. So we have 2,700 families waiting years for affordable housing, living on approx. $1,000 a month including rent and all the city gives them is maybe 20 per cent off on their bus fare, which they can’t afford, anyways.

But, we needed to move our civic museum for $16 million on leased land that we don’t own. That was important – To whom? I have no idea.

I was ashamed to be a Guelphite after leaving that poverty briefing. All the talk, all the studies, all the bullshit and still these people can’t be given a few extra dollars to help them live in our city and enjoy all the supposed wonderful amenities our town has to offer. These are not just people that we think of as stereotypical “welfare people” these are people with disabilities, mental health issues, even people that have recently separated or came from abusive homes and are forced to find shelter for themselves and their family. We all know people like this, and this is what our great city does for them. I was born and raised in the Willow Road area. I was there when they were building the townhomes on Valleyview and Willow. Things were better for them back in the 70s , at least the units they were living in were brand new! After that meeting I realized that nothing ever will change for these people. They have no voice, they have no representation, and they have no hope. That’s why I’m still in the race.

5) What’s your message for voters?

Nothing will ever change in this city unless you vote in the people you feel will make a difference and promise to stand up to City hall. I don’t feel a councillor should be representing the interests of City Hall but the interests of the people that live in this city. And that hasn’t happened for many years.

I would represent the kind of people that wanted more rec centres in their community rather than a new city hall.

I would represent the kind of people that would have wanted more parking downtown for merchants and shoppers than an outdoor skating rink.

I would represent the kind of people that would have wanted more programs for conserving our energy like tax incentives for solar panels, grey water recovery systems, compost bins, and rain barrels than changing our entire waste disposal system.

The quality of life in this town has only improved for the people that work at city hall it hasn’t improved for the rest of us. The problem is the rest of us don’t seem to get out and vote. So I guess we get what we deserve, as always.

On October 25th VOTE

Candidate Questionnaire - Russell Ott (Ward 1)

1) Why did you want to run for city council?

As a lifelong resident of Guelph and having followed Guelph’s council for a number of years, I decided now is the time to do so. Four years ago residents of ward one went to the polls and thought they were representing two councillors who would represent them. It became clear rather quickly these two councillors were not going to live up to the promises they made and the expectations residents had. We have some critical decisions to make over the next four years and beyond and residents need to be informed. Ward one needs a strong voice from a councillor who will represent their best interests, listen to their issues and concerns, treat them with respect, show transparency, ensure there is accountability on council, to serve with honesty and integrity, and to be a responsible and reasonable voice on council. Ward one needs a representative who will be here for the long run and not for a four year term. I am ready, willing and able to be the citizens voice in Ward One.

2) What do you think of the performance of the last council?

This council did a less than average job. They came in with one priority which was to change the decorum around the council table. Unfortunately to avoid any conflict or heated discussions, too many times issues and proposals came forward which were flawed. The right questions were not asked of staff or delegations, and several councillors, including both in ward one voted in a ‘block’ and did not consider how it would affect residents in ward one. Some councillors often went into meetings with a decision made before hearing from delegations, which is unacceptable. Citizens are given the opportunity to come forward and speak to council, at which time council should be considerate enough to hear them and ask questions, only some of them regularly do. Spending was out of control in a time Guelph could not afford to do so. Council approved salary increases and continued on with capital projects as if the $8 million deficit did not matter. Ward One saw invisible councillors who ignored residents and did not respond to phone calls and emails, disrespect was given to citizens and previous election promises were not kept.

3) Please describe your position/ideas on the following issues?

a) Taxes
I am not in favour of seeing a tax increase. A number of residents have talked to me about their concerns with taxes and how increases will greatly affect them. Constituents have raised concern about having to pay for this year’s $8 million downfall through their taxes. I feel there are more ways we as a city can see an increase in revenue and it is up to the next council to stand firm and take the necessary actions to do so.

b) Budget
This council had the opportunity in the 2010 budget to cut costs and capital projects, as well as profit on items they currently do not receive income from. They missed the boat on this one which lead to the five days of shutdown. We can not afford to burden the taxpayer with anymore debt. In the next term of council, as an elected councillor I will be encouraging members of council to heavily consider all avenues to cut capital projects and capitalize in areas we currently do not receive money from. In my own opinion, when the budget comes forward to council and a councillor does not agree with items in the budget, they should vote against the budget, until the problem is solved.

c) Transit
Making cuts to transit in 2010 was completely unnecessary and unacceptable. I believe transit should be treated the same way we treat our essential services. Would you cut service to the Fire Department because research showed there are not enough calls coming in on Tuesday’s? Would you cut Ambulance service during the rush hours because there is too much traffic in the streets, which slows the response time? The answer is no! We can not cut transit services when so many residents in Guelph who do not drive, who are disabled and who primarily rely on transit to get around. Transit is important in Guelph and we need to continue to work to improve the service.

d) Development/Infrastructure
In ward one, two of the hottest topics in terms of development are situated around the East End Commercial site and the W.C Woods redevelopment. Creating a working relationship with city staff and Loblaws will be essential if we plan to see any development occur in the East End. Public input will very important in determining what kind of development is seen in the East End. Residents were not happy being left in the dark with the East End Library. The W.C Wood re-development must meet the needs of the surrounding residents and city staff needs to honour the six story height restriction they have ensured residents they would keep. Ward one will need a strong voice when it comes to the development of these sites.

e) Arts & Culture
With a degree in Visual Arts and Geography from Brock University I gladly say I am a big supporter of Arts and Culture in Guelph. Guelph has often been seen a hub when it comes to diversity within arts and culture. The arts however is severely lacking when it comes to space, teaching space, lecture space, meeting space, studio space and performing space. At one point the federal government had promised Guelph grant money to create the required space. As a councillor I would be willing to work with our local MPP and MP to ensure we can obtain grant money to move forward with an arts centre. I am also in favour of working with the University to bring a common space that can be shared by the arts community as well as the university.

4) Is there another issue that you’d specifically like to highlight/focus on?

It is difficult for me to pick one issue to highlight because there are so many constituents speak with me about. Traffic is becoming a large issue in Ward One. I think a lot of the issues are because of the current construction, however there has been very poor planning in certain areas of this ward. The mentality of the city and police services is ‘nothing will be done until someone gets seriously injured or killed’ which has been the mentality of this city for years. It is time to change this. Why should a parent have to lose a child because our streets are unsafe? Waiting until someone gets killed is not an acceptable answer, and this is where accountability and a strong voice is needed on council.

5) What’s your message for voters?

My priority is not my own personal agenda, my priority is to represent the residents of ward one through accountability, transparency, respect, honesty and integrity. My priority is to ensure your voice is always heard around the council table, that your values are well represented. I am committed to serving the residents of ward one for the long term. I am not here to serve for four years and either do such a terrible job that I do not get re-elected, or to just give up and walk away from council halfway through the term. I have a commitment to this city and when elected to the residents of ward one. I’m asking voters to elect me as their councillor to ensure their values, visions, issues and concerns are heard and know that they matter. I ask voters to contact me via phone and email (russell[at]russellott[dot]com), as well as visiting my website (www.russellott.com). I respectively ask that on October 25 you Elect Russell Ott for Ward One.