What do the following projects have in common?
Stimulus Money, baby: that pot of gold in the skies of Ottawa that will produce jobs, economic boom and at no local cost. But let's look more closely.
* Community/ Recreation Centre..........$27.4 million
* D'Arcy St reconstruction......................$2.5 million
* Kerr St reconstruction..........................$2.5 million
* contribution agreement for Intake 1 (Unknown number of projects)........estimated $10 million
The projects were approved by Council on Monday night to proceed to the next stage in Ottawa. A lot of financial pain for taxpayers. As a conservative estimate the above costs would be $40plus million. the municipal cost of these federal "stimulus monies" would be at least $13.2 million. As these projects cannot be in the capital budget for the next two years to qualify they have not been budgeted for. We either drop the most necessary capital projects that we budgeted for or add them to the list. Adding them to the list would be an additional tax burden.
Now in this story our friends at the Y intend, as they are entitled to do because non-profits are allowed to submit applications, to submit an application for a new facility. In a story written by Valerie MacDonald of the NT.com here it is revealed that they will sell the two properties they own on Elgin St frontage and apply for the rest of the money from Ottawa/Toronto. But those properties will only net half the money needed for the Y's contribution so we are into another massive community fundraiser. Lots of luck in a depression trying to raise money. Mr Barber obviously is an optimist (better be a Rotarian and a Lions Club member too!) but then all good leaders are.
I asked the Town, specifically Mr Davey the money guy, for the costs of the applications approved on Monday night but they have not yet been forthcoming, I am sure they will and when they do we will all know just how much exactly Gil Brocanier will have to pull out of his magic hat to make all this possible without a tax increase. Ironic isn't it, one of the reasons we were named 22nd best place to live yesterday was a good tax regime. Wonder how far down the list we will be next year?
Oh I forgot to mention that on Monday night the Council authorised the local utility company LUSI to make long term financing arrangements rates to replenish the water/sewage reserve fund that had been allowed to "go negative". Funnily enough we had raised rates, in 2006 to "full life-cycle" costing rates to establish the reserve. Last year the reserve was projected to be in surplus but turned negative. Council authorised the debenture/loan without an explanation and only one councillor attempted to find out why the fund had tanked. Mr Craig of LUSI was not at Council and Council just passed the rate increase without comment.
So the taxpayer really got hosed on Monday enough water jokes - ed.
* Community/ Recreation Centre..........$27.4 million
* D'Arcy St reconstruction......................$2.5 million
* Kerr St reconstruction..........................$2.5 million
* contribution agreement for Intake 1 (Unknown number of projects)........estimated $10 million
The projects were approved by Council on Monday night to proceed to the next stage in Ottawa. A lot of financial pain for taxpayers. As a conservative estimate the above costs would be $40plus million. the municipal cost of these federal "stimulus monies" would be at least $13.2 million. As these projects cannot be in the capital budget for the next two years to qualify they have not been budgeted for. We either drop the most necessary capital projects that we budgeted for or add them to the list. Adding them to the list would be an additional tax burden.
Now in this story our friends at the Y intend, as they are entitled to do because non-profits are allowed to submit applications, to submit an application for a new facility. In a story written by Valerie MacDonald of the NT.com here it is revealed that they will sell the two properties they own on Elgin St frontage and apply for the rest of the money from Ottawa/Toronto. But those properties will only net half the money needed for the Y's contribution so we are into another massive community fundraiser. Lots of luck in a depression trying to raise money. Mr Barber obviously is an optimist (better be a Rotarian and a Lions Club member too!) but then all good leaders are.
I asked the Town, specifically Mr Davey the money guy, for the costs of the applications approved on Monday night but they have not yet been forthcoming, I am sure they will and when they do we will all know just how much exactly Gil Brocanier will have to pull out of his magic hat to make all this possible without a tax increase. Ironic isn't it, one of the reasons we were named 22nd best place to live yesterday was a good tax regime. Wonder how far down the list we will be next year?
Oh I forgot to mention that on Monday night the Council authorised the local utility company LUSI to make long term financing arrangements rates to replenish the water/sewage reserve fund that had been allowed to "go negative". Funnily enough we had raised rates, in 2006 to "full life-cycle" costing rates to establish the reserve. Last year the reserve was projected to be in surplus but turned negative. Council authorised the debenture/loan without an explanation and only one councillor attempted to find out why the fund had tanked. Mr Craig of LUSI was not at Council and Council just passed the rate increase without comment.
So the taxpayer really got hosed on Monday enough water jokes - ed.
6 comments:
LOCAL SPENDING ON PROJECTS:
All of this is quite unsettling. I understand Cobourg's property tax rates to be on the high side already. Can we afford to take on more expensive projects that we're not even sure people need or want?
Where do Councillors and Town staff think taxpayers get their money? Haven't they noticed times are just a bit tough right now and people are losing their jobs alarmingly quickly?
Speaking of the large numbers of seniors living here, I can comment that as an almost retired person I have less income, not more, to provide to the Town of Cobourg for Councillors' fancies and delusions of wellness. And don't come knocking on my door for big donations for the new Y/Community Centre - that cash will be used to buy groceries.
Stimulus money, yes! Foolish spending on vanity projects, NO!
I wish it was an election year for these bozos.
DJO
$27.4 million for a community and recreation centre. If Cobourg has to pay for 1/3 that would be $9.1 million or $507 for every man woman and child in Cobourg, say $2,000 for a household.
I just do not see that this would be a priority for every household in Cobourg, even if they had the money. If they don't have the money it would probably be sucked out of them by non-negotiable taxes. Even if every family was asked to make a donation, whereby richer families could be asked for more, say $5,000 plus for which they would get a charitable receipt, worth perhaps 1/3 of the donation I wonder if many families would see this as a good use of their money. It is not as if most people would get any benefit out of it. I am reminded of the "Y" which is town-owned, but which charges exorbitant fees for people to use. Many people who excercise prefer some of the privately run health clubs.
Perhaps families would feel the money was better spent on their kids, or on a vacation, or on a mortgage pay-down.
I can see that the town needs to keep our roads in good shape, so I can accept these expenditures, although money spent on Kerr Street is just a gift to construction companies since the traffic in Cobourg does not warrant a new east-west corridor and probably it won't be need for another 20 years, if ever.
After paying for roads, sewers, water, policing, buses and all that stuff I really cannot convince myself that the council has any moral right to pay for circuses, such as new community centres, unless they get a plebiscite of the majority of electors in favour. I know that they say 300 people are in favour, but then over 2,000 people signed a petition against the Frink expenditures and the council completely ignored this.
I agree with the previous comment that I wish it was election year. Perhaps we should hope that the whole issue can be put off until the next municipal election and made a topic of that election.
I donated money to help build the old "Y", not a lot but what I could afford at the time. I have not joined the "Y" because I can't afford to. If the new community centre is to be run by the "Y" will I still have to join in order to use it?
I think I can find better and more satisfying ways to donate my money.
In conversation with a relative newcomer to town (only here for the last 15 years or so)he declared that the answer to Cobourg's problems is to secede from the County and set up independently, like Toronto, his hometown, occasionally threatens to do.
I haven't heard this one for awhile now but it interests me since locally I have long resented how the rural municipalities over-ride the needs of the urban areas, especially Cobourg who they all seem to hate with keen jealousy. We pay too much to the County and get too little back - we are just their cash cows.
To add to our frustration, we don't even get to vote for these people so we have no power to change the landscape. We are stuck with it, and them. Maybe getting out would be the way to go, so we could concentrate on our own problems and dedicate our resources where they are needed in town.
Trouble is, setting up Cobourg on its own still leaves us with one small problem, or should I say seven large ones? Current governance of the town has to go, with perhaps an exception or two.
It is clear, however, that the status quo needs to be shaken, not stirred, if we are to see enlightened, knowledgeable government in this potentially delightful town of ours.
While this may not be civic election year, time will pass and the election will be upon us. We should be starting to think about all this now so that those of us who are sick of current governance are ready to act.
For now all we can do is talk about it, but the time will come when we should be prepared to s**t or get off the pot!
DJO
I want to live in a Cobourg that has:
-hot dog carts downtown and in the Parks all summer
-a Y outdoor pool that is open when it gets hot, not just between July lst and Labour Day
-lifeguards that are on duty when people are swimming, not just within short, arbitrary hours
-more events that appeal to ordinary people, like the Rib Fest, not just upper crust stufff for the affluent and seniors
-more free events at the Library for kids and adults, longer hours year round
-
I want to live in a town where:
- people don't get things just because they whine like a 5 year old
- people trust the officials THEY elected.
- people who complain until they make others sick either go away or try something constructive for a change
- I never again here "I'm a senior, so I deserve it all."
- everyone recognizes that our youth are our future
- everyone (me included) says something positive about our community every single day.
Having said all this, I will now take my soap box and go home)
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