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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:21 am 
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Location: Ex Milton(ian)
There was an all-candidates meeting in Ward 3 on October 15. About 120 attended. One question from the audience (not me) was about the above-inflation 20% increase in Milton taxes over the past term. The answers were not surprising but provided a clear contrast. What they said and what I heard:

Gary Carr said that Region taxes have been frozen for 8 years – best municipal record in Canada. What I heard was an example of Carr’s leadership although I know he was heavily assisted by the phase-out of GTA Pooling.

Gord Krantz said that he voted against those above-inflation budgets but lost on recorded 6/5 votes. What I heard was that our mayor is just another council vote, unable or unwilling to influence either the budget or the vote of councillors (Milton also got an assist from GTA Pooling).

Colin Best said that Milton has one of the lowest tax rates in the GTA (Mohawk?). What I heard is that Best, Milton Budget Chair, won’t be too concerned about above-inflation budgets until the Milton tax rate catches up to others.

Cindy Lunau said that Ward 3, home of Mohawk, should get its fair share of Milton spending. What I heard is that Lunau won’t be too concerned about above-inflation budgets as long as Ward 3 gets its share of the spending.

4 more years. :(


Last edited by garlis on Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:17 am 
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Colin Best has to be one of the worst (sober) counselors we have, but because he works so hard at it people pay absolutely no attention to what he’s actually doing. They just see a guy heavily involved in his community and vote for him on that alone.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:17 pm 
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bremer wrote:
Colin Best has to be one of the worst (sober) counselors we have, but because he works so hard at it people pay absolutely no attention to what he’s actually doing. They just see a guy heavily involved in his community and vote for him on that alone.

So what's he actually doing that has you thinking this way? Outside of the obvious red light camera and bag tag thing, where is he gaming us? Honest question because I don't pay as much attention to local politics that don't involve felonies.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:16 pm 
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munchito wrote:
bremer wrote:
Colin Best has to be one of the worst (sober) counselors we have, but because he works so hard at it people pay absolutely no attention to what he’s actually doing. They just see a guy heavily involved in his community and vote for him on that alone.

So what's he actually doing that has you thinking this way? Outside of the obvious red light camera and bag tag thing, where is he gaming us? Honest question because I don't pay as much attention to local politics that don't involve felonies.


Neither do I, so I’m basing my decisions on what I have seen. I’m not one of those guys who watch meetings on youtube. Perhaps he saved a bunch of kids from a burning school bus and I’ll stand corrected, but the bag tags, red light camera, and now opinion on taxes is enough evidence for me to see a guy who just does whatever the civil servants recommend in their reports. That’s not his job. His job is to challenge those servants and decide if what they’re recommending makes any sense from the view of the taxpayer.

I also know a former counselor who’s shared some inside views of things that jive with my overall perception of him.

I find it offending that the guy will happily come on here and toot his own horn, but the minute anyone asks him a tough question he vanishes. I don’t expect him to counter every criticism or engage in endless internet debates, but I do expect a guy who’s active on the forum to at least share the thinking behind his decisions. You know, being accountable to the voters concerns and such. Other counselors have done this on a number of issues discussed here.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:38 pm 
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I believe that Colin is doing a great job. His is just one vote on council.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 3:51 pm 
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And his one vote generally sucks.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:23 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:06 am
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Location: Fifth Line (at Derry)
garlis wrote:
Gary Carr said that Region taxes have been frozen for 8 years – best municipal record in Canada. What I heard was an example of Carr’s leadership although I know he was heavily assisted by the phase-out of GTA Pooling.

Gord Krantz said that he voted against those above-inflation budgets but lost on recorded 6/5 votes. What I heard was that our mayor is just another council vote, unable or unwilling to influence either the budget or the vote of councillors (Milton also got an assist from GTA Pooling).

:(


A good start would be to follow the Region's lead in having full meetings on each department"s budget rather than just on the list of items offered up by staff!

Now that you got me started - what about the $100K that was voted last year for enhanced weed control on Town properties, parks etc? Did any reader anywhere see any evidence of that being spent? I walk through Victoria Park practically every day and past the Mill Pond and through Chris Hadfield Park several times a week and have seen no evidence of it.

So Councillors - you said you had heard at the doors that your voters wanted this; you pointed to the survey that said the voters wanted it; you but it in the budget; you increased out taxes; and then you failed to follow through and ensured that the work was actually done. I know it only works out to $2 on my tax bill and it won"t buy me a Swiss Chalet dinner but will cover a Timmies but the $100K is now entrenched in the base and will be repeated in next years budget, plus inflation! Or have I got it wrong and the fight against weeds has begun?

Martin


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:24 pm 
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Martin Capper wrote:
garlis wrote:
Gary Carr said that Region taxes have been frozen for 8 years – best municipal record in Canada. What I heard was an example of Carr’s leadership although I know he was heavily assisted by the phase-out of GTA Pooling.

Gord Krantz said that he voted against those above-inflation budgets but lost on recorded 6/5 votes. What I heard was that our mayor is just another council vote, unable or unwilling to influence either the budget or the vote of councillors (Milton also got an assist from GTA Pooling).

:(


A good start would be to follow the Region's lead in having full meetings on each department"s budget rather than just on the list of items offered up by staff!

Now that you got me started - what about the $100K that was voted last year for enhanced weed control on Town properties, parks etc? Did any reader anywhere see any evidence of that being spent? I walk through Victoria Park practically every day and past the Mill Pond and through Chris Hadfield Park several times a week and have seen no evidence of it.

So Councillors - you said you had heard at the doors that your voters wanted this; you pointed to the survey that said the voters wanted it; you but it in the budget; you increased out taxes; and then you failed to follow through and ensured that the work was actually done. I know it only works out to $2 on my tax bill and it won"t buy me a Swiss Chalet dinner but will cover a Timmies but the $100K is now entrenched in the base and will be repeated in next years budget, plus inflation! Or have I got it wrong and the fight against weeds has begun?

Martin


The only thing I can say in regards to the weeds, is that I noticed they were out cutting the parks "grass" more frequently this year so the weeds weren't knee high like they were in previous years.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:35 pm 
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munchito wrote:
bremer wrote:
Colin Best has to be one of the worst (sober) counselors we have, but because he works so hard at it people pay absolutely no attention to what he’s actually doing. They just see a guy heavily involved in his community and vote for him on that alone.

So what's he actually doing that has you thinking this way? Outside of the obvious red light camera and bag tag thing, where is he gaming us? Honest question because I don't pay as much attention to local politics that don't involve felonies.


Garbage bag tags? Check.
Red light cameras? Check.
Infrastructure levies? Check.
Extra money for empty buses? Check.
Last minute and not debated hospital levy tax? Check.
Velodrome? Check.
Additional consulting fees for velodrome 'studies'? Check.

I could go on and on. Every big-spending, tax-grabbing idea that's put in front of council consistently gets Colin's vote, because he has a big-spending, big-government liberal socialist ideology.

That's fine, that's the ideology that he believes in and he is certainly entitled to his belief system. But he does do a particularly good job of hiding it by never answering questions about his voting record. Instead, he shows up at farmers markets, is visible at landfill coffee days and the like, and answers questions about street names and blood clinics and snow plow schedules on the villager.

He is a great politician. Heck, he even has the possibly biggest anti-socialist in the history of Milton, kf095, voting for him. An amazing political feat, really. I do admire Colin’s political chops even though he’d never get my vote in million years.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:10 pm 
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Location: Ex Milton(ian)
Unfortunately, it isn't enough to identify incumbents who don't deserve re-election. You also need challengers who are likely to be better.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:51 pm 
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^^^
Hold on folks, I suspect the next term could be a wild ride!


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:05 am 
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 3:42 pm
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Location: Milton
I think Colin Best is a great council, and I am going to vote for him again. I also wish that the town will install more red light cameras in Milton, especially in busy intersections, like Main and Thompson, Main and Ontario.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:08 am 
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Kim, why is the next term so wild?


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:20 am 
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mmomma wrote:
Kim, why is the next term so wild?

I wonder if she meant "transitional".

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This one thing probably never goes away
I think this one thing is always supposed to stay
This one thing doesn't have to go away


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:58 am 
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buka wrote:
I think Colin Best is a great council, and I am going to vote for him again. I also wish that the town will install more red light cameras in Milton, especially in busy intersections, like Main and Thompson, Main and Ontario.


That's awesome. You and Colin should hold hands and walk into the library and look up the research that shows these things are a total waste of time and money.


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