I am 45 years old, a business owner and bilingual.
One of my priorities is to keep tax and water bills in check and to stop these ever sky-rocketing increases.
Many residents are struggling with the ever-rising costs. I have spoken to people who pay $7,000 in taxes a year and retirees on fixed pensions who cannot afford these constant hikes from council and assessments.
Lately we talk a lot about affordable housing. Keeping tax and utility bills affordable is part of that discussion.
Our municipality is very well staffed. Therefore, I would like to see more results in our efforts in job creation, business attraction and innovation. Let’s open Chatham for business and cut the zealous red tape!
Also, on my list, tourism, jobs and infrastructure.
I always use a common-sense approach and integrity in all my decisions.
For more info and full platform please visit my website
- Do you support increasing funding for infrastructure given the fact several culverts and bridges – including the Third Street Bridge – have had emergency issues and closures recently?
Yes, I believe that our infrastructure should be council and administration’s top priority and mandate. We need to identify the want and the need. Unnecessary expenditures are being pushed meanwhile our infrastructure goes on the back burner. This way of doing things has to stop.
- Would you support a tax freeze or rollback if it meant reduced staff and/or services?
Yes, we have about 2300 employees at city hall versus 1700 in 2010. We also lost population from 110000 to about 103000. That means our tax base went down. I think that city hall is very well staffed and should be able to do the job and keep the level of services. I believe we need to actually have a hiring freeze and find savings. Most of our tax dollars goes to pay our staff.
- Would you support shifting some services to the private sector if those services could be done more efficiently that way?
Yes, if it makes financial sense.
- Do you believe we need a municipal ombudsman or ethics commissioner?
No, I believe that the council needs to direct Administration. It been the other way around for far too long. We need a council who is willing do to its job which is to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality;
- Do you support investigating a reduction in the number of council members?
Yes, I believe a smaller council will be more efficient and functional
- Should the municipality try to land an Ontario Cannabis Store as soon as possible?
No, I don’t think that cannabis should become an over taxed produce sold at stores like the beer store. However, the province will dictate the outcome.
- Should council be more proactive in terms of working with landowners with contaminated wells?
Yes, I think that the current council who have ignored the pleas of these people were wrong to support the administration advice and supported the last wind mills development.
- 8. Some critics say the municipal building department is an impediment to development in C-K. Do you agree?
Yes, Excessive red tape, expensive zoning charges and long waiting time periods. We could do better.
- Do you believe Chatham needs a new twin-pad arena?
No, I believe in a tax freeze so If it happens it would not be funded out of the C.K. purse. We cannot afford it. Let’s not forget our elderly that could barely afford their home taxes. Do they really need an arena??
- Should the municipality cut back on its expenditures for overseas economic development efforts?
Yes, I do not believe that we need to fly to China to do business if anything they should come here. I also believe that most of our economy is within our small to medium business. They are the one we should support, accommodate and assist.
- Should municipal councilors ever be forced to go the Freedom of Information route when seeking municipal information?
No, this question also works with the question #4 The Staff needs to be accountable to council for work undertaken on its behalf at all time.
- Should members of the public have more access to municipal information without having to resort to an FOI?
Yes, more transparency and fair treatment of the tax payer is needed.
