What's In A Name...The Brothers

They are private citizens who have not entered the conversation. So I did not print their names.

I am trying to use the blog freely but without causing offense to people who have not chosen to enter the discussion. I've done that before and caused offense where none was intended.

Google sucks up names like a vacuum. Politicians and others deliberately project themselves into the public domain. People quietly minding their own business have the same right to privacy as people who mind other people's business and compete for publicity. It's a personal choice we all have a right to make.

Unless something extraordinarily nice needs to be recognized.

The Brothers own large vacant retail space on Yonge Street, formerly a furniture store.If asked to lease space for a pre-Christmas Farmers' Market, they should be able to say no privately. There might be many reasons why it would not be practical. They might just not want to. They have a right not to, without being googled

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The new Council has a huge amount of work ahead. Decisions of the past were not well received in the community. The electorate made that clear.

It means the newbies do not have the luxury of simply carrying on where the others left off.

Normal process for political overview of a budget, is to determine if previous level of service was satisfactory, should it be maintained? If so, at what extra cost. Or, are there opportunities for savings?

After that determination, new and improved service can be considered.

We currently invite residents to come in during budget discussions to tell us what they want.

Nobody ever comes in and tells us to cut something out.

I'm not convinced it's a useful exercise.

I think it's an example of nauseating righteousness of modern political correctitude. I just made that word up.

I don't mean we should ignore people's needs. We pay for master plans to determine needs and expectations. We pay consultants to consult and design a plan to satisfy needs and expectations. We pay staff with expertise to advise.

Budgets are built on previous budgets, Master Plans, Strategic plans, Capital Forecaste, Staff advice and Council wish lists.

The potential tax increase is determined. Then we think again. Sometimes it's a serious exercise. Sometimes it's a scam.

I have not supported the last four budgets.

Last term we paid a consultant $53Ks to complete a master recreation plan. We gave him terms of reference. Then we hid the final draft for a couple of years before tossing it and adopting one created by a politician and a friend of the Mayor.They worked in workshops that didn't require notice of meetings, circulated agendas or minutes recorded.

This year's Council are now accountable. Will the budget be based on the master recreation plan adopted by the last Council or the one they rejected.

Staff have already prepared a budget based on various adopted plans and strategies. Will Council feel compelled to understand the formula as well as the figures. It means extra work. A lot.

When we look at last year's budget for legal services, will we simply tack on a percentage increase or will we analyze actual spending and slash it by a million or two?

$76,000 was spent on a bit of landscaping by the Arboretum. Will we allocate another $100,000. to a small citizen group to spend as they please,or will we look here to reduce the tax burden?

The "re-org" of the administration calls for extra jobs to be created.Will we examine that with a critical eye? What was broken that needed to be fixed?

Will we look at contracts giving advantage to some users of town facilities not enjoyed by others.

Like the Church Street School.

In excess of three million dollars were invested to provide a proper home for the Town's museum. Plus half a million dollar annual budget. All we have is storage for the collection and concerts and classes and farmers market and all kinds of things never contemplated when we approved three million dollar expenditure of public resources.

Revenue to town coffers from user fees in Leisure Service,from town facilities was $5 million in 2010.

Expenditure from town coffers for Church Street School was half a million plus $170ks left over from 2009.

Should this council examine that and other contracts during budget discussions?

Damn right we should. It's why we were elected.