September 5, 2013 · 0 Comments
Dear editor:
I again took time out to attend the council meeting this past Monday evening where I watched and listened to our council members deal with the proposed and now approved new schedule of development charges that will take effect in 2014.
This council has an almost laissez-faire attitude to the whole debate. After all, they were just considering rising through DCs $535 million for future projects through the mind numbing policy of growth by the developers.
The point that our councillors chose to ignored again as they did during the tabling of this item at the previous Committee of the Whole meeting, is what comes as a consequence of raising of this gigantic sum of money is that it comes with it’s unseen costs. The town being burdened with raising a further $150 million to meet the residual benefit of all such projects provide to the existing infrastructures and of course through our pockets in the form of the local property taxes having to be increased.
Whether it is debentured or through direct property taxes, you will be stuck with the burden for many years to come.
I say that there were a couple “no hitters” pitched by the usual council suspects in a pitiful attempt to fire up the hearts and minds of their fellow councilors on the matter of the inclusion at this time of the $12 million for the Beeton MURF. They were feeble attempts at best.
But as our council meeting progressed it dealt with, as the editor has, the matter of the, cost overrun for the development of a new park in the Northend in the Mattamy and Rivers Edge sub-divisions, across the Boyne.
The cost overrun is just another 1/4 of a million to be paid out of the Park & Recs. Reserve Fund DCs, monies we do not have at this time per say. It will be up to staff to kyte (that is to rob Peter to pay Paul) these funds within their Towns books to make it happen. It was a glaring omission when no councilor asked if the cost overrun included the floodlights for the outdoor rink, at least another $50,000.
Amazingly, I was dumfounded when a member of council asked a direct question of the Director of P&R if this was to the cost and template of all future park developments. One should never ask a question if either you do not know the answer or on the other hand, you do not want to know or the public. Obviously, Director of P&R announced to council last night that this is the template (a kind of rolled gold Cadillac) of local parks to come.
The most obvious observation from the whole evenings council business was that the members that we have elected do not appreciate that these outrages overruns and spending sprees only secure two things for our Town, higher taxes and job security for the Town Staff.
Now once again the mayor will vehemently deny my statements of the obvious common sense local economics.
Gordon McInnes, New Tecumseth