Raise the Hammer
Hamilton's election campaign finally appears to have some steam behind it, with both Fred Eisenberger and Dave Braden throwing their hats into the ring for Mayor.
In the midst of the Eisenberger website controversy is one important issue that must be front and centre during this election: the enormous power levied by Hamilton's developers within our City Council.
I personally favour the idea of eliminating all donations other than citizen donations. This puts you and me on the same playing field as Mr. Losani or CUPE.
A recent CATCH news article is just one more example of how entire planning processes at city hall can be derailed when politicians and staff have one eye on proper planning practices and the other eye on potentially huge sources of campaign fundraising at election time.
Some argue that the candidates won't be able to run campaigns as professionally without as much money. I for one have no interest in our campaigns resembling those seen on US tv where election commercials are more like mini-Hollywood films full of nonsense and propaganda.
Give me an election where the winner is chosen based on his/her ideas, vision and leadership, not simply according to who has the slickest billboards or radio spots. Our city will be better off almost immediately once our democratic system is about the health and future of Hamilton instead of about catering to special interest groups.
By markwhittle (registered) - website | Posted September 24, 2006 at 19:23:23
One can only wish people were elected for their vision and ideas. I've been trying for 12 years worth of elections with the same notions, to no avail.
The real problem is apathy, plain and simple.
Most people are too busy dealing with what our council has created in our own back yards, a huge gap between those with and those without.
25% of our children live in squalor and poverty, personally I'm ashamed and intend to correct this if elected in ward seven.
Property taxes that are the highest in the province while services decline to pay more money to unionized staff with zero improvement in services.
Unionized Staff have become completely unaccountible for the services they are handsomely paid to deliver.
Transit services are a good example of incompetence writ large. How Don Hull has avoided the axe is beyond me. The guy has done more harm than good, costing millions in revenue and ridership as a result.
In the real world he would have been fired long ago.
An accumulated debt approaching $200 million that will eventually crush our economy under the weight of interest charges to carry this debt year after year.
Not a single incumbant has the guts to call a spade a spade, that pretty clear.
A full forensic audit of city halls finances over the last ten years would be a good start.
But replacing a dysfunctional, self-serving council would be much better, only apathy stands in the way.
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