My First Time
Today, I made my first political contribution. I've been waiting for the right time, the right person, and in this case, it's turned out to be mayorial candidate Jane Pitfield (http://www.janepitfieldformayor.com/home.html). I have actually been making excuses (What if she's not the one? isn't my vote in November enough?), but after reading the apparently pro-Miller Toronto Star describe the first debate between Pitfield and Miller, I just couldn't take it anymore! I had to do it!
Now, I have to admit that my "relationship" with Jane started more as a way to get back at David. He's kept his promise at City Hall only for things that don't affect him. He still supports neopotism, not spending transit money wisely, allowing "his" councillors to get away with trying to sneak in a 12% pay raise, kowtowing to the union, kowtowing to the environmental groups, and in general, coming up with creative ways to waste the money that the city gleefully takes from me. And with Jane, the more I hear her talk, the more I realize how much we have in common.
My blog is called "Out in Centre Field" because I see myself politically as a guy in the middle, who doesn't follow a left-wing or right-wing ideology, willing to adopt the good ideas from either camp, I know I can't say that about David Miller, and I'm not sure if I can say that about Jane Pitfield either, but in this case, Jane is right, and he's just a dick.
For a city as great as Toronto, I cringe whenever I see city council go, with bowl in hand, year after year after year, begging the other levels of government for money. (And beg is the only appropriate term for it). Toronto has turned into that guy who borrows money from friends with no intention of every paying back because when he gets more money, he spends it. He doesn't want to tighten his own belt or change his habits. He just doesn't learn.
And it is not to council's credit that it is looking for slush funds to raid and light poles to sell. (Let's face it, folks, there's only so much money you can find in the couch). It's the shame of council that they refuse to seriously look at alternatives like outsourcing and other ways of keeping the union in check. It's a shame that councillors gave themselves a raise just because their peers in 905 make more money than they do, and seem unwilling to keep other spending in check, except maybe when it comes to the police. It's the shame of council that they were willing to spend an extra $100 million to single-source subway cars. It's a shame that council is willing to spend $500 million on a solution as short term as landfills, unwilling to even open their mind about incineration. (How about taking the good ideas from your 905 peers for once?)
I love this city, and it tears me up when I see how low David and the Millerites have done to its greatness, and that's why I'm glad to help Jane run.
Now, I have to admit that my "relationship" with Jane started more as a way to get back at David. He's kept his promise at City Hall only for things that don't affect him. He still supports neopotism, not spending transit money wisely, allowing "his" councillors to get away with trying to sneak in a 12% pay raise, kowtowing to the union, kowtowing to the environmental groups, and in general, coming up with creative ways to waste the money that the city gleefully takes from me. And with Jane, the more I hear her talk, the more I realize how much we have in common.
My blog is called "Out in Centre Field" because I see myself politically as a guy in the middle, who doesn't follow a left-wing or right-wing ideology, willing to adopt the good ideas from either camp, I know I can't say that about David Miller, and I'm not sure if I can say that about Jane Pitfield either, but in this case, Jane is right, and he's just a dick.
For a city as great as Toronto, I cringe whenever I see city council go, with bowl in hand, year after year after year, begging the other levels of government for money. (And beg is the only appropriate term for it). Toronto has turned into that guy who borrows money from friends with no intention of every paying back because when he gets more money, he spends it. He doesn't want to tighten his own belt or change his habits. He just doesn't learn.
And it is not to council's credit that it is looking for slush funds to raid and light poles to sell. (Let's face it, folks, there's only so much money you can find in the couch). It's the shame of council that they refuse to seriously look at alternatives like outsourcing and other ways of keeping the union in check. It's a shame that councillors gave themselves a raise just because their peers in 905 make more money than they do, and seem unwilling to keep other spending in check, except maybe when it comes to the police. It's the shame of council that they were willing to spend an extra $100 million to single-source subway cars. It's a shame that council is willing to spend $500 million on a solution as short term as landfills, unwilling to even open their mind about incineration. (How about taking the good ideas from your 905 peers for once?)
I love this city, and it tears me up when I see how low David and the Millerites have done to its greatness, and that's why I'm glad to help Jane run.
posted by Frank Yao | 9:57 PM
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