Comparatively speaking, this blog is read by a few.
I have allowed free rein on commentary on the Liberal Riiding Executive.
I am cutting it off now. The chatter has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
The Liberal Riding Association has exercised the democratic right to organise and elect an executive.
The names may or may not have an influence on how the vote goes in the next provincial election. I doubt it.
But it's not going to happen with the support of this blog.
Kathleen Wynn has been given an opportunity to show in the next few weeks what, if anything, she can do to overcome tremendous obstacles and move the Province forward.
Never mind whose fault it was.
Lord knows, for our sake, she needs all the good will and support we can muster.
Our affairs are in bad order. We need to be pulling together. .
Thank you. An excellent run out of nowhere.
ReplyDeleteThe Clock Struck One and the Other Two Escaped With Minor Damage.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know how to get this to you Evelyn so I commented here on a separte topic.
ReplyDeleteRe: “Aurora expense reporting to get overhaul” at http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/1936443-aurora-expense-reporting-to-get-overhaul/ and in print on Jan 31 Banner
While I commend Councillor Ballard for his efforts to remove alcohol from allowable expenses, I hope the idea of presenting expense reports of Council members and senior staff online doesn’t go to the extreme. While cost controls are important I hope that the public won’t then be questioning the Mayor or a Councillor why they expensed a donut with that coffee during that meeting with a potential new Aurora business operator. Or why they ordered off the menu when there was a daily special.
I don’t think anybody ever considers what the costs in time and labour will now have to be added onto the financial department to get these expense reports posted on the Town’s website all for the sake of “open & transparent” government. While it is important to look after the nickels & dimes (as the pennies are now removed from circulation), it is equally important that the Council and staff don’t spin their wheels on this issue and forget about the bigger picture of actually running the Town.
Could the Councillor’s motivation of publicizing the expenses be a bit driven by wanting to expose whatever the Mayor’s expenses are given that of all the members of Council his expense report would be the most extensive. (As it appears that the other members of Council have virtually little or no expense reporting). Mark my words, come election time C. Ballard will be touting how getting the Town’ expenses under control was one of his many successes as a Councillor looking after the taxpayers interests.
10:34am said...
ReplyDelete"Mark my words, come election time C. Ballard will be touting how getting the Town’ expenses under control was one of his many successes as a Councillor looking after the taxpayers interests."
Oh my God.... we would not want a councillor trying to get costs under control!
Sure, like Councillor Ballard reaches into his wallet every single time he enters a Centre event or even that Jazz thing? Gimmee a break!
ReplyDelete10:34, how illuminating would a retroactive report of the previous mayor's spending habits be?
ReplyDeleteDoes Councillor Ballard declare all the items he and his flunkies bully out of residents to be auctioned for the Rangers? That would add up to a hefty sum and only happens because he is a councillor. He should be careful about heaving rocks at other councillors.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic because I think today they are supposed to release the result of the audit on Mayor Ford's expenses. Likely be a whole lot of finger-waving about penny-ante errors.
ReplyDeleteI remember Councillor Gaertner's expenses for the last elections. They were interesting because she didn't list a single Aurora resident and had written WINE across the page. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteI think that each councillor should be given an allowance of $50/month to spend on anything they want without having to submit bills. This could be just plain "mad money" when someone wanted to do something irrational or invigorating, go to a strip show, have a massage, eat a dozen cream filled donuts, have a triple triple the next time.
Possibly the mayor should have a slightly larger allowance - $75/month.
11:41 AM
ReplyDeleteWrong again honey... He does it because his son is a member of the QYR and he heads the QYR Association. Did it before he was a councillor, will probably do it after.
Nothing like a well informed public critic.
If Ballard takes control of the QOR, the Yonge Street salvation program, Council, the Code of Ethics, our culture and the Liberals, then I think that I’m moving, but then again, I’m sure he would love that.
ReplyDelete12:08 AM
ReplyDeleteNope. I think we have to stick it out as long as we can.
3:16 PM
Nope to you too. Councillor Ballard originally collected funds under Morris' name. Since she got turfed & he moved in, he has used his own & his position as councillor to get items for auction. Unlike with Mayor Ford, an arms-distance group does not handle money.