Comment 119648

By KevinLove (registered) | Posted July 05, 2016 at 11:52:48

All the Sturm und Drang of Terry’s offensive comments has the unfortunate effect of detracting from the real issue. Health care is a provincial responsibility. The provincial government has available to it the full range of revenue tools, and the city does not.

I see from the Spectator article that this is in essence a grant.

The forgivable loan — in essence a grant — comes with some strings attached, such as the recipient must occupy the offices for 60 months for the loan to be forgiven. But it basically gives HHS — a hospital corporation that does not pay property taxes — local taxpayer money to help it renovate three floors of vacant office space in the Stelco Tower that it wants to lease.

Suppose City Council said “no” to this grant. Would the province eliminate health care services from Hamilton?

$450 million is a lot of money. It is almost 1/20 the amount that the province is giving Hamilton for the LRT. Is this getting 1/20th of the scrutiny and debate as the LRT? Perhaps it should.

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