"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

Wednesday 18 March 2015

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A FLIGHT OF FANCY":

12:39

Did you ever think that as a process, the sunshine list should have the limit raised? We increase salaries but the threshold for the sunshine list has stayed the same. 

If you left it at $100k eventually all TPD will be on it. 
Posted by Anonymous to  Our Town and Its Business at 18 March 2015 at 07:49
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This year the Fire Department apparently  won parity with the police department . In both negotiations, the parties are bound by compulsory arbitration. Arbitrators are not bound by anything at all. 

I heard the fire department won 6% increase in the recent settlement. It caused quite a stir. but not a whisper was heard.. Do not expect any reference from our doughty politicians. 

The  police  association and fire department  canvas candidates before municipal elections to determine their position on "Adequate" funds for protection. 

50% of service calls to the fire department are medical emergencies,a provincial responsibility.

 Oh yes, discussions do take place under the radar, at an administrative level ,about problems created by arbitration. But it's all very hush hush. 

Police and Firefighters are powerful forces in the electoral process. No politician in his right minds dare run afoul .

The sunshine list reflects only salaries. Benefits are worh probably a third more .Very generous. But never generous  enough.Every negotiation comes up with new ideas .

Teachers salaries are influenced and influence others. Nurses.and Librarians also keep a keen eye on settlements. Full-time staff are on the payroll to deal with negotiations. 

The Province has just appointed former Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall to seek out the problem of the Toronto District School Board. The budget is never balanced. 

We regularly read or hear of cuts to services. Invariably, programs for students who need it most are first cut. 

The obvious is never spoken of.  The Province negotiates teacher salaries and benefits. They dictate board spending. After they award settlements to keep teachers happy , everything else has to be cut to meet the provincial 
allocation. 

The  High School Teachers Federation used to have  the most clout. The elementary system, where resources  were most needed, were starved out to keep high school teachers happy.

Local autonomy in education is long forgotten. the idea that
taxpayers have any say is a total fallacy. 

But who talks about it?

Not the local politicians that's for sure. 


Evelyn Buck

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Barbara Hall? Great...Another Liberal appointed to solve budget problems at the school board. What a joke.

Anonymous said...

Our local politicians are to busy finding ways to spend local money. Heard that we're handing out another 377,000 + everything else we give them for free to the ever popular and successful "cultural center". 5.09 % tax hike. Yet they can justify this handout? Disgusting.

Anonymous said...


Out of interest here are some numbers:

Canada's inflation rate: April/14 1.8%
July/14 2.25%
October/14 2.25%
January/15 1.2%

The most important categories in the CPI basket are:

Shelter 27.5% of total
Transportation 19.3%

Other categories:

Food 16.0%
Household Operations, Furnishings and 11.8%
Equipment
Recreation, Education and Reading 11.8%
Clothing and Footwear 5.7%
Health and Personal Care 5.0%
Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Products 3.0%

The present inflation rate is 1%.

So in theory a salary/wage increase or COLA based on present inflation rate should be 1%, that is ONE PERCENT.

It is obvious that just about every public employee is earning far more than the inflation rate, not just today's, but even in days gone by when inflation was at a more normal rate, say 2% - 3%.

We are all grateful for the lower gas prices when we go to fill up the family chariot, airlines are really grateful but they have not reduced their fares, so those who fly get ripped off. That's quite common in a free-market society. Some are the rippers, others the rippees.

Our taxes always go up at rates that exceed inflation, thanks to fire and police departments. I wonder what it costs per hour for fire and police officers when they are actually actively engaged in the requirements of their jobs, rather than sitting around sipping coffee and eating donuts.

I am the first to admit that the work they can be called upon to do has high levels of risk and may be life threatening. But I would like to see pay for work rather than pay for coffee and donuts.

Apparently many of these men and women have second jobs to supplement their sunrise salaries.

Anonymous said...

15:25 - There's no "we" or no "them" and no "handout" - it is every resident and a contracted service for us all.

Anonymous said...

Bits and pieces of the Auroran are up - good cartoon

Anonymous said...

15:49- It's not all coffee and donuts! They hand out traffic tickets to all those hard core criminals we have on our streets.

Anonymous said...

Their sunset salaries are even better.

Anonymous said...

16:15- "We" as in the residents of Aurora. "Them" as in the Cultural center. And "handout" as in free money. When this council is contemplating over a 5% increase in taxes, and continue to handout this kind of money to this "service", I agree with 15:25
it's disgusting.

Anonymous said...

Someone help me to understand, why 377K for Aurora Cultural Centre again? Heating? Salaries? Advertising? Signs on hwy400? Cleaning Services? What else?

Can Town charge rent perhaps to recover that money back lol. I am not up to date, where do I look.

Anonymous said...

Do you know what is really disgusting? Ignorance.

Anonymous said...

21:22
I don't think they even take care of their own snow removal despite all those healthy bodies hanging around doing nothing. Maybe they change a light bulb or two ?

Anonymous said...

22:14- Your happy about the possible 5.09% tax increase? Of course you are! A liberal who enjoys preying on hardworking citizens so that YOU and the chosen few can enjoy your quality of life. To hell with those who have real needs in this community.

Anonymous said...

15:57 - Just more inane 'us versus them' polemics. Just more stupidity...

Anonymous said...

19:47

Well, for me the "them" are people that want pool or arena services. Why should I pay for that infrastructure? I don't use it.

Furthermore, I don't go to any parks or playgrounds either. I don't think that I should pay for that.