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New mayors’ caucus at politicians convention week provokes debate on its usefulness, chatter about Dianne Watts’ end game

September 25th, 2012 · 14 Comments

Ever since Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts started on an energetic job of bringing mayors together for their own special “mayors’ caucus” last spring, I’ve heard two reactions. 1. It’s helpful for mayors to have their own forum and voice 2. Why is Dianne Watts duplicating what the Union of B.C.Municipalities already does?

The first get-together was in Penticton in May, with 86 mayors.

The mayors’ caucus got squeezed into the already full program at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention this week, but drew about 140. The next one is set for Prince George next spring.

As my story here notes, there continues to be a lot of back and forth among mayors and councillors about what the purpose of the caucus really is.

I assume many can’t forget that Gordon Campbell launched his provincial career after, not just being mayor of Vancouver (which doesn’t sell well beyond Boundary Road), but his successful leadership of the then Greater Vancouver Regional District. His connections with politicians all across the Lower Mainland helped broaden his political network.

However, I, like others, will wait to see how this caucus evolves and whether it brings additional clout for cities or not. Heaven knows, they desperately need it as provincial politicians and business groups continue to treat them like whiny kid siblings. (Stop asking for money! Stop going to taxpayers for more! You’re already getting too much! And quit complaining that it’s because we’re downloading everything onto you! Just suck it up!)

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  • boohoo

    The increased downloading is the biggest issue no one wants to talk about. I know at my work the impending Federal budget and its weakening and/or eliminating of a large part of DFO will likely quadruple the work load–but will we see any more funds/help to cope? Of course not. We’ll just be whiners.

    Something’s gotta give. And it’s going to be the environment/public process/whatever can’t be quickly and easily quantifiable. The problem is by the time we realize cutting all this stuff was a bad idea, it will be far too late.

  • spartikus

    The increased downloading is the biggest issue no one wants to talk about

    Except for people like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who are overjoyed to spin municipalities shouldering new downloaded obligations as an indicator of the “out of control growth” of municipal government.

  • waltyss

    Who is the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, other than Jason Bateman, who appears to be a failed politico from Langley or thereabouts? While the press breathlessly quotes him, I have never seen anyone investigate who CTF is. A Fraser Institute subsidiary or an organization with a membership and viewpoints?
    Beyond that, Jason Bateman is not always the most accurate reporter (even aside from his particular viewpoint).

  • mezzanine

    Ironically some mayors who complain of downloading from victoria are those who worked against the HST.

    A letter from the city of Coquitlam voicing opposition to the HST lends important fuel to the fire in the battle against the new harmonized tax plan, says Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan.

    http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=3b6ff199-f021-4cbb-8d26-c5bb58011da7&sponsor=

  • Morven

    Just another lobby group,

    But the real culprits are the MP’s and MLA’s who are downloading their responsibilities.

    Who among the PC’s has even questioned the Kitsilano station closure for one.

    Democratic deficit did I hear someone mutter.
    -30-

  • Andrew Browne

    I have a habit of calling out Mr. Bateman on his BS when he takes to twitter. My favourite was when he went off the deep end about the City hiring a parks manager to, he claimed, manage a few golf courses (for about $120k). Turns out that position was also to manage all of CoV’s destination parks including Stanley, QE, et al and oversee a staff of over a hundred. Funny, he never issued a retraction or correction. One must never call back your scripted outrage.

  • waltyss

    @Andrew Browne. Thanks for reminding us of that one. It was one of his more egregious (but certainly not unique) and dishonest posts.

  • spartikus

    My favourite was Mr. Bateman’s proposal that a referendum be held whenever a municipality wished to construct a new facility such as a community centre.

    As he is a former city councillor I found it very difficult to understand how he was unaware this is already the case – on municipal ballots capital spending for things such as new facilities are questions voted on.

    He has also served as the communications director for the Rich Coleman campaign and been a vice-president of a BC Liberal riding association. His BC Liberal ties are rarely mentioned by the press in his ubiquitous interviews.

    The CTF is a registered non-profit that claims 70,000 supporters nation-wide – or 0.002% of the population. In 2011 it took in $3.4 million in donations. It has 10 paid staff. By my calculation payroll is at a minimum $575,000

    http://taxpayer.com/sites/default/files/CTF_FinancialHighlights.pdf

    It has a 5 member board the oversees operations. It’s a self-perpetuating board – only directors vote for new directors. This is apparently not unusual for non-profits of this type.

  • MB

    I, too, have a hard time understanding the CTF when they poke sticks at municipal government. Arguably, cities comprise the most accountable level of government in Canada, and the downloaded infrastructure buck stops there.

    With 3.4M in the bank and a mid-six figure payroll you’d think they’d publish reports on the value of public services our taxes pay for.

    For example, would they care to conduct an independent, peer-reviewed analysis on the costs of privatizing health care or the vast road network, and publish the results?

    I thought not.

    Which is why they’ll never amount to more than just another lobby group thrown into the steaming pile.

  • waltyss

    @MB I agree they are just another lobby group but unfortunately they get an incredible amount of play (probably even more than the Fraser Institute). Why?

  • pw

    I saw somewhere UBCM would be discussing increasing DCCs to fund things like fire halls. With real estate sales at 10 year lows, their time would be better spent discussing what to do when the DCC golden goose takes an extended vacation.

  • Ned

    I would like to hear from Mr. Bateman,
    So for any of that are throwing rocks at him, but “follow” him on twitter, why don’t you let him know that his presence in here is required… to defend himself, at least that would be fair. Eh?

  • waltyss

    Call him in by all means, Ned (even though he has way more than his allotted 15 minutes of fame.
    Let him answer the questions posed on this thread.
    Let him tell us who the CTF’s top 50 contributors are in BC.
    Let him tell us what he sees as a legitimate role for municipal government. His constant harping about taxes is based on his far right aversion to few public services.
    But, Ned, he’s your boy so you invite him. I hear enough of him and know that without independent verification I don’t trust a word he says.

  • spartikus

    why don’t you let him know that his presence in here is required… to defend himself, at least that would be fair.

    That would be wonderful. Except Mr. Bateman doesn’t seem to like to engage with his critics. As I’ve discovered.

    The CTF is one of any number of so-called “citizen groups” with murky financial backing & intimate connections with power.

    They have their message and that is fine.

    What isn’t fine to this observer is when local media outlets – most notably CKNW – copy & paste CTF media releases as stories. At least check to see if claims are true.