"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

Saturday 23 July 2016

BAFFLEGAB BUDGETING

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "IT STILL DOESN'T WASH CLEAN": 

The Mayor cannot turn back the clock. Council have voted to fund Mavrinac from the very beginning. 
It is a shame that the park-to-be will be such a localized affair but everyone has signed off on it except for Cllr 
Pirri who wanted it to be more inclusive. 
The Mayor truly illustrates that he has only the one vote - he sure isn't driving the bus. 

Posted by Anonymous to  Our Town and Its Business at 23 July 2016 at 12:04

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Councillor Pirri's argument was not the Mayor's . He voted against the project because 
park amenities in the neighbourhood were already better than sufficient....the best ratio of any 
in  town.

The Mavrinac residents got what they wanted from  purely political expediency. Geoff Dawe did 
nothing to stop it . 

An estimate of revenue lost from taking  land out of the private sector was never requested.

Professional salaries to provide such advice are as redundant as the park.

Council adopted a policy to freeze hiring and did nothing but buy property since.

New revenue from new development is negated by such purchases . 

Vanishing  retail ,evident throughout  the town, means lost revenue.

Condo buildings are not permitted to rise above a certain level making them financially non-feasible.  
So  stacked townhouses are to be built in the town Centre. Despite Provincial policy of high density.

Last week The Auroran cited substantial bafflegab from the Treasurer, telling Council in highly 
convoluted language why he can't give them the budget they want. 

They've  already spent money they didn't have in previous  budgets. 

He calls it "deferred taxes" . 

It's budgeting for a deficit and that's prohibited by the Municipal Act. 

He has already confided the facts to the Financial Advisory Committee. It must mean no need for the rest to know. 

Don't ask, don't tell. 

Read the story. it starts on Page 1 and continues on Page 16  under a different title. 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...



The Treasurer loves his long sentences. One has to chase to find the meaning. The new CAO does the same. It must be taught to them.
Lovely rain for an hour last night to fill the bird baths. Try to help the birds & animal through this heat. They hate it as much as we do.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor is dealing with a council he created by omission. He never took control despite being the biggest money earner and present in the town hall all the time. The ironic thing is that councillors are meeting privately with residents and bringing stuff to the table about which he knows nothing. Harks back to his secret meetings with The Centre.

Anonymous said...

When you have a Mayor who believes that it would be a bad thing not to raise our taxes, you have a problem to begin the budget process. This year they seem to have gotten in over their heads. The only redeeming feature is that the Center and the Hysterical Society are going to have to pay some of the short fall from their annual rip-offs.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't bet on that one. If they had any concerns about short falls, they wouldn't have started with all their annual rip-offs in the first place. Our provincial government doesn't give a hoot about spending our money. Come January we're going to be taxed on their carbon tax. Why?... because they can! There's no stopping the for another 2yrs.

Anonymous said...

What's with all the banners in our downtown?
Where is Bylaw Services?

Anonymous said...

Council will end up as they always do, digging their way out of the spending they have already done.
There will be the usual speeches about needing more communications and meetings but people want them to be careful all the time. Not just once a year for Show & Tell. The one time a lady complained about her taxes, they rode right over her. That year they raised the amount for the stupid entitled at the Centre.
End of rant - hope the weather breaks soon.

Anonymous said...

22:08 - The Federal government will follow with their own carbon tax.

Anonymous said...

Hillary is the nominee ! On to November !