miltonLeo wrote:
Rick Di Lorenzo wrote:
The original proposal had us getting $500k each year but town staff negotiated a 50% increase
How does that make it okay??? The increase is coming from additional taxpayer dollars. It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul.
The problem is that you guys were sold a bill of goods on a 'business plan' that was a house of cards and only a couple of councillors even questioned it, and they were quickly voted down. We can't keep running this town on starry eyed dreams and wishes.
The business plan was crap, the costs are skyrocketing, and shuffling tax dollars from some people's pockets to other people's pockets is nothing to smile about.
It makes it better (if not okay) because the risk involved with the business plan took into account only $500K per year - if they can get $750k per year from the legacy fund, then that removes the vast majority of the risk for ongoing operations.
The important thing to remember is that no one will see an extra line on their taxes stating additional tax being taken off to pay for the Velodrome - the same pool of money they are collecting will be used whether it goes to the Velodrome or not. This not an either or situation - the tax money is being collected and will be spent - we might as well have it spent in our Town. Yes, that is a cynical view, and I wish gov't was more efficient, wasted less money, and reduced our taxes. But since that has as much chance of happening as Unicorns taking up residence in Milton (now there's a tourist idea!) , we might as well benefit from the money that is going to spent somewhere in Ontario.
Yes the cost went up with changes, but not 1 extra dollar is coming out of taxpayers pockets. Also of note, the 2 new roads built were always planned, this was just EARLY construction of them to make the Velodrome location better fit.
So, no additional money coming from taxpayers - money was going to be spent somewhere anyway.