"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Thursday 3 October 2013

Higher price...better product? Ain't necessarily so

So now,  I've attended to bits and pieces of other business.  It's time to get to the Service Levels Study and interim report.  I've read it again. It;s important when responding  to documentation to be thorough.

First it has to be understood when a consultant is retained ,they are given terms of reference by the client.  That's us.  Or to be precise, the town's administration.

There's always a purpose for a study. Whether to prove a point or  otherwise.

The Mayor's business experience was partner in a consulting business  that helped business to solve problems.  A consultant study of precise design would be the natural recourse for the Mayor and his supporters on Council to resolve a problem.

So what problem would the Service Levels study resolve. What answers are contained in the interim report.

We are spending more on services than other comparator municipalities.

The study concludes it's because we are providing a higher level of service. 

The Mayor posited  during  Monday's discussion, a higher level of service increases the value of  Aurora  properties. Conclusion? taxes represent investment. 

Huh!!  And pigs can fly !!!

It's a good thing the service level study simmered for a couple of days.

  I try not to be cynical.  But I cling to the right to be skeptical. 

The  problem identified  but  not  acknowledged is dissatisfaction  in the community with continued increase in the tax burden.

The Mayor's recorded opinion supports the requirement for taxes to increase. 

In all it's fancy lingo and comparator percentages, the study  appears to justify  the spending and suggests  no opportunity for  economy other than reducing  jobs. 

The term of office is three-quarters complete. 

Not a lot of time and only one budget left to make the performance appear to be something other than it is.

Because Excellence it is not.

To be continued:

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That was why it was a mistake to let a Senate Committee judge other Senators. Turns out at least one of those who sat in judgement might have fudged her expenses too. You are right to be skeptical... we must all be wary of flowing report cards prior to an election.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Mayor Dawe. Aurora does not provide a higher level of service than other communities in general. [ I do not know which ones they selected to use ]. Nor is it even required as demand is actually less in Aurora. What we would like to read : " Service levels are being maintained at a satisfactory level while the cost of same is being reduced through efficiencies."

Anonymous said...


Aurora is, in many ways, a great medium sized town. We have orderly residential neighbourhoods, excellent shopping, schools, parks and related facilities for recreation, and on and on.

And you can walk our streets in safety, day and night.

But our Council is too involved in GREAT plans, Promenade Study, Master Cultural Study, Master Trails Plan, and on and on.

Greater attention should be paid to our roads, and the deplorable condition in which many of them exist and to other bread and butter issues that have a direct affect on all.

It's nice to be able to dream, but let's fix our infrastructure sooner rather than later.

Anonymous said...

15:21...

"excellent shopping"... where? If you are looking for a good grocery store anywhere west of Yonge you are screwed (except for Metro in the south end). Every other major retail operation is Bayview/Wellington and north-east.

"you can walk our street safely".... Is this a direct result of anything that Aurora has done? Police are a regional responsibility.

"GREAT plans"... this is exactly it. Plans that never turn into anything.

Our council now, and previous councils have had this desire to deal with things that are outside their area of responsiility and control. They need to focus on things that matter to residents. Make sure the garbage is picked up, the snow is plowed, the arenas have ice, the swimming pools have water. The rest is fluff.