Glissy,

When you and your cohorts merged the PC’s and the Reform parties to form the Conservatives, did that automatically relegate those from both sides as “ship-jumpers”?

It is a ridiculous notion you are peddling, because many from the COPE movement left the extremism of the Tim Louis’ of the world to form a more moderate presence in Vancouver civic politics. Because Vision now occupies the piece of the political spectrum that your beloved NPA has no chance of ever coming close to winning over, your frustration with the moribund “non-party” jumps off the screen.

There were years of neglect under the NPA – in fact, it 4-5 capital plans before Vision came to power, there was absolutely NO MONEY allotted to maintaining the Bloedel’s roof.

Furthermore, the NPA heavily subsidized the petting zoo and the Conservatory with TAXPAYER MONEY, WITHOUT any sort of fiscal responsibility lens. Now while the NPA’s style of governing was to ignore and take the easiest path that the lackey city manager Judy Rogers and her underlings would provide for the NPA’s reigns in power, that does not qualify as asserting proper management and due diligence over the public purse.

You are grasping a straws – in Anton’s case, hollow all the way through. That applies to the candidate slate, the lack of any ideas or policy proposals, and particularly the political worth of the entity that has long since passed it’s best before date.

And if you want to make those bets, I am game. Put your money where you keyboard is.
A

@Dave Pasin

I note your date range is broad enough that it includes a period some call “the recovery”. Is it really your position that revenues from construction permits, etc, wasn’t affected in 2008-9? This is the period where the cited discussions about the fate of Bloedel, the petting zoo and so on took place. There was much discussion of this on this blog and much blood and pixels spilled…

And the point remains -> you don’t like the choices that were made. Okay. What would you have done in that environment that would have been more appealing to the electorate?

I do in fact use PB facilities every day and am very grateful for them. As mentioned I play Ultimate (I was in fact at Trillium leading my aging team to a glorious…cough…3rd place season finish a short while ago). I have a child in after-school care at a community centre. She takes swimming lessons and other courses.

Such programs and activities for children are quite expensive. But they’ve always been expensive.

Hours and service levels have fluctuated over the years. This is an old, and continuing, story.

So, the Mt. Pleasant Community Pool Vision (and YOU) promised to save leading up to the last election is still open, Mr. Jasper?!

Ditto: Where would you have cut to keep the Mt. Pleasant Community Pool open? If it’s a broken promise, it’s a broken promise. You’re right to raise it. But I think it’s equally fair – and interesting – to ask for a budget from the alternate universe.

Maybe you’re with me, and would have raised taxes more than they were.

@Everyman

On a similar note the petting zoo, I believe, was running an annual deficit of $166k/yr, while the Lawn to Loaves grant was $5000.

Where would you have made up the remaining $161k?

As an aside, I note Rob Ford says Toronto shouldn’t be in the zoo business at all.

If we were collecting an appropriate amount of property tax we would be able to fund an appropriate bike lane program AND preserve our parks facilities. Unfortunately, Vision Vancouver chose to ignore the City’s own survey results indicating that most taxpayers would be willing to pay more than the 2% tax increase approved. At some point in the near future, Vancouver is going to need to figure out how to fund itself in a way that does not involve selling its soul to developers.

Spartikus 54.

Why were Surrey and other Lower Mainland cities able to manage the ’08 recession’ without major cuts and disruptions? If money is so short, how come Penny Ballem could suddenly find $800,000 to patch up firehalls after Mayor Greg and his Vision Council botched the Pandora fire? (That’s a bit more than your references “Lawn to Loaves grant of $5000” Spartikus)

Can I suggest it’s because Vision has been redirecting very large amounts of taxpayers dollars to pay for their so called ‘green’ initiatives? The $5,000 items, even in total are a drop in the bucket, and are not properly explained in Vision’s 6 1/2 page 2011 Budget. The Mayor’s and City Manger’s bloated political staffs as well as other ‘green’ and quasi-political staff who’ve been hired in various City Departments are just one part of this undercover operation. Is this “open and accountable” civic government Mr. Mayor?

Why were Surrey and other Lower Mainland cities able to manage the ’08 recession’ without major cuts and disruptions?

I’m not sure that’s entirely true, Bill. I’m not sure Vancouver’s service reductions were any greater than the other municipalities. According to the Sept 30, 2009 V. Sun article “Falling revenues challenge more cities across region; Plunging permit fees and shortfalls in provincial funding make for difficult decisions in Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond”, Surrey cut expenditures, as did Richmond. Burnaby raised taxes 4.5%. According to the Jan 28, 2009 Richmond News, the City of Richmond cut staffing by not filling posted positions (as Vancouver has done). It also reduced services, including traffic light maintenance and street sweeping. It increased user fees for arenas and turf fields. According to the City of Surrey’s 2010-2014 Financial Plan, there was a general tax increaase of 4%, as well as a user fee increase of 4%.

I found this Surrey Now article of note (and before everyone screams at me, yes, these are capital expenditures and not the operating budget):

“Are they nuts?”

That was the response of one Surrey resident when she was told the city plans to go into debt for the first time in a quarter-century to the tune of $200 million over the next five years.

The money will be used to fund a host of new public projects in City Centre like the new library ($36 million), an underground parking lot ($22 million), a new city hall ($64 million) and various other projects around the city.

The list adds up to a total of $283 million with $83 million coming from city accounts, grants from senior governments and other sources. Most of it, however, will be borrowed.

But I don’t know much about the details going on in other municipalities and am happy to be informed. Did Surrey’s community centres and libraries maintain the same hours? I don’t know. Perhaps Paul Hillsdon or some other noted Surrey-watcher could comment.

If money is so short, how come Penny Ballem could suddenly find $800,000 to patch up firehalls after Mayor Greg and his Vision Council botched the Pandora fire?

I just want to make sure I understand you, Bill. You feel the $800,000 for the firehalls should have been applied to something else? I’m not saying you’re wrong or right, just curious. As for Lawn to Loaves, that was the example given me by Everyman. It was one of many grants the City gives every year, and was to my understanding recommended by City Staff for approval, and not “politicians”.

The Mayor’s and City Manger’s bloated political staffs as well as other ‘green’ and quasi-political staff who’ve been hired in various City Departments are just one part of this undercover operation.

The term “undercover operation” seems a bit over the top, but I have no issue with this. There are a lot of generals and not enough ground troops.

But still – where’s the alternative budget? I know it would be time-consuming for you to produce, but personally I would find it interesting and informing. However…

@A Dave

…excellent answer. It can be done!

@Spartikus 60.

I know there were cuts elsewhere. That’s the point, I’m sorry to not having been clearer. I was referring to my understanding of the timing of the budget trimming in other cities compered to Vancouver, as well as the effect they had on services and the public. My understanding was other cities started the trimming process as soon as the recession became a reality. For reasons only known to Vision, they were forced to react after the fact instead which caused the cuts to hurt more. There was not anything like the negative reaction in these other cities as there was in Vancouver. Your referenced Sept 30, 2009 V. Sun article confirms that by memory. I’d rather not spend the $4.95 charge to reread it now. If there are more detailed descriptions of what happened across Metro than those I have read I’d be pleased to be better informed also.

Regarding the $800,000, no Spartikus, that money had not been budgeted for those applications. It was money Ballen decided she had when she went on a tour of the firehalls in question. I think it’s called damage control aka “putting out fires” in this case. Unfortunately many, including myself, no longer have your confidence in the independence of “recommended by City Staff for approvals” process.

Perhaps I could be gentler Spartikus, I was just trying to make the point about much of this being done in less than “open and accountable” manner, as well as questioning the need for it.

It’s not my job to produce a budget at this point. Can you shed any light on where Vision is spending its money? For instance: how much are the Mayor’s and Ballem’s added staff costing? What value are taxpayers getting for it? Were all the head-rollings necessary? Why (real reasons please)? Please identify imbedded staff in various departments, why they were needed and what they are doing?

I don’t know why I have the feeling that “Susan” #52 is none but Aaron Jasper in disguise. he forgets that and signs “A” in the end of his comment for LOL!

@ Bill McCreery #65

As usual, you float tired platitudes and mouth empty rhetoric, and appear ignorant to the fact that the NPA historically has been the civic farm team, first for the Socreds, now for the BC Liberal/Conservative coalition.

Again, I ask: tell us how your present slate will act any different than the last two NPA councils that were a total disaster for the City – highly partisan in nature (6-5 votes were the norm), characterized by feuding and infighting, both ending in shambles and destruction for your party … given your recent past, why should any voter trust, let alone vote for the NPA??

And we are still awaiting an explanation from the NPA as to why one of your star candidates, Jesse Johl was suddenly dumped from your slate? Will you confirm he was tossed because he failed to show up to meetings and return phone calls?? Pathetic!! Did the NPA vet Johl before he was nominated or were you so desperate for candidates, you took anyone who came forward? How many other NPA candidates of similarly poor quality are ready to implode and cause you even more embarrassment, while sending a clear message to citizens, that the NPA is just not ready for prime time.