Category Archives: Budget

During budget, facile Facebook items cause spiteful spat

Posted on November 27, 2017 by

This is an example of what you elect people to do at budget time when they’re supposed to be setting your property taxes. In this spiteful spat on Facebook, our touchy twosome — Councillors John Gazzola and Yvonne Fernandes — last … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Journalism, Transparency | Leave a comment

Councillors yowling about cat-license clawback

Posted on November 8, 2017 by

Kitchener councillors have de-furred the cat-licensing issue until Dec. 4. And, with a jaundiced eye on potential lost-pet votes in the 2018 municipal election, I doubt the cat-fight issue will gain more that lukewarm support when my motion comes back for … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, cat licenses | Leave a comment

Invest in city, give Queen-King Streets the royal treatment

Posted on August 23, 2017 by

Combining imaginative planning vision with quality design in order to boost and create downtown revitalization is always expensive but Kitchener has already proved the cost is worth the investment. Which is why I support a dynamic $1.8-million city proposal in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Culture, Budget, Greener City, Heritage, Light Rail Transit, Queen Street renewal, Vibrant Downtown | 1 Comment

Conflict over Kitchener councillors’ potential $55,000 lawyer allowance

Posted on January 17, 2017 by

Read it and weep as council strums the budget blues During recent sessions, councillors faced the unpleasant but necessary prospect of raising costs of storm water by 9.2 per cent, sanitary/sewers by 10.8 percent and water by 7.6 per cent. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Perks and Expenses, Transparency, Ward News | 1 Comment

Thirsty community gardens get $50,000 drink

Posted on January 27, 2016 by

In a city that is actively supporting community gardens as a way to grow healthy neighbourhoods and human relationships, there’s an ongoing thirst among green-thumb participants to ensure available, reliable water sources. Three of those 28 Kitchener gardens have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Cherry Park, Greener City, Neighbourhoods, Victoria Park, Ward News | 3 Comments

Decimated newsrooms serving up pablum journalism

Posted on January 26, 2016 by

In an era where newspapers die and decimated newsrooms continue to shrink,  it’s hardly surprising Kitchener residents are fed such a thin diet of daily-newspaper content. Pablum news is also dished up by our CBC outlet and other local radio-TV stations … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Journalism | 1 Comment

Bringing down the costly curtain on CEI

Posted on December 8, 2015 by

It had all the makings of a theatrical tragedy tinged with shades of ironic comedy. First act: Kitchener councillors this week heard a passionate appeal from the Multicultural Theatre Space, one of our most talented local theatre companies, asking us to reconsider a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Culture, Budget | Leave a comment

Water, sewers are a bargain despite tax increases

Posted on November 25, 2015 by

While it’s nothing to be proud of and something I resent inheriting as a recent councillor, Kitchener, like other Ontario cities, has major infrastructure pains caused by rapidly rotting water and sewer pipes. And it’s  blatantly obvious that unless council becomes very proactive about … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Ward News | Leave a comment

Review of low-income housing incentives underway

Posted on February 26, 2015 by

Kitchener councillors voted unanimously this week to review a series of incentives that will help increase the city’s supply of low-income housing. The approval to hire a planning student who will assemble information about incentive-bonus housing programs used by municipalities came during … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Homelessness, Light Rail Transit, Low-Cost Housing, Neighbourhoods | 2 Comments

Non-elected board will spend $8-million of taxpayers’ cash

Posted on February 10, 2015 by

So much for voter accountability, government transparency and the public’s right to know how tax dollars are spent. Kitchener council last night (Feb.9) approved an economic report from staff that recommended council allow a non-elected board of directors to spend at … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Democracy Ward 9, Jobs, Regional economy, Transparency | Leave a comment