The public has a right to know about all of these expenditures, don’t you
agree?
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Last week , I requested 2011 Financial statement from the Church Street School operation be published on the Town's web site. Councillor Ballard immediately responded as copied above.
Council has not long completed the 2012 budget The second adopted by the current council.
It may not be easily understood by the average taxpayer but it is a public document and I believe posted on the town's web site.
Councilor Ballard's comment allows me to focus on a couple of items.
The Library Board budget is a public document. Presented to Council at a public meeting. Several times. The service has certainly been long enough established to be assured of public support Council has authority to reduce the budget if they so desire. Any move in that direction would be publicly debated.
The Seniors do not enjoy heavy subsidization from the town. All users pay a membership fee. Last I heard it was $24. or thereabouts. Almost all of the fee is transferred to the town as revenue.
The Seniors Association enjoy exclusive use of parts of the facility
The greater part can be and is permitted to other users. when not in use by the Seniors. Cost of operating the facility is proportionately charged to the Seniors.
Unlike culture users Seniors do not receive free space, free maintenance, a $356,000 grant increasing by 3% each year plus a matching grant for all funds raised from fund-raising activities.
I am not aware of any grants or heavy subsidization provided to sports clubs or swimming clubs .Swimming clubs, by constant use, contribute to the bottom line of operating swimming facilities.
Free family swims are sometimes sponsored. Swimming is not inexpensive. It's out of reach for many families .
Theatre Aurora receives no subsidization or grants.
Fifty years ago, a derelict building was transferred to the town for forgiveness of a minimal tax bill and for the purpose of a theatre.
With hard work and commitment the group have created a small bijoux theatre within the community which provides entertainment
for drama enthusiasts, and opportunity to thespians among us, that costs the town nothing.
The exterior of the building is maintained at public expense when need arises .
Volunteer hours in the millions have been contributed to appreciative Aurora audiences for more than fifty years.
Oddly enough, last time they were a target of "new broom"Councillors, was the 2000/2003 .. Former Councillors Kean, McEachern and Vrancic were concerned they should "pay their way."
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5 comments:
Councillor Ballard would, of course, want to include any monies received & still being received in legal expenses by the former council in his tally? That would qualify as a ' substantial amount of funding or subsidy from the town '. His own words.
Does the Councillor always dress in blue?
Does this influence his thinking?
According to Ballard's Face Book, he and his dog Toby were ' mad as heck ' about Aurora's high taxes. Last time I looked, dog's didn't get to vote on tax expenses. Toby's owner had a vote and sent our money to the Centre. First he tries to blame his dog, now all the other organizations in town. HE has the vote and used it. No more animal abuse in Aurora. It isn't Toby's fault.
Isn't Councillor Ballard breaching the terms with Face Book? I don't have an account with them but recall reading that you were forbidden to create accounts for non-existent identities. Don't suppose that stops anyone but he does fling a lot of mud on others. Maybe some clean-up of his own is in order?
Regarding Clr. Ballard's Facebook Faux Paws I posted a screengrab and outlined the T.O.S. he violated in a post here:
ttp://christopherwatts.posterous.com/cry-havoc-and-let-sniff-the-dogs-of-war
Facebook saw the violation and terminated the account.
Either Clr. Ballard doesn't read Terms of Service, does not have a strong attention to detail, or doesn't care if he meets the terms or not. I don't care which it is, none are qualities I desire in a member of council.
Actions speak louder than words, and coming from a self-professed Communications professional it certainly reduces any credability he has in areas relating to responsible online identity, legal agreements and differentiating between right and wrong.
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