Is Willie Really For You?

Is Willie Really for You?

He’s the ultimate PR man. He can take advantage of any media event be it the polar bear club frozen swim to the recent anti EFW event in Toronto, to falling in the water during the rubber duck derby and so many in between we have lost count. If being involved in community events and being your own best PR man makes one a great leader then he would be mayor. But the reality is that it takes more then media events and picture ops to make a good politician. You need to listen to your constituents and follow their wishes and this is where he seems to fall flat.

When any one of our group or associates runs into Willie and the subject of politics come up he seems to listen but not really hear. He takes the information in but only seems to act on his own beliefs and ideals.

What he fails to realize is that he is acting in a representative democracy where he has been elected in and represents the people of Ward 3. So instead of acting on his own belief on key issues he needs to get out and talk to some of his constituents at random and get a feel for how they feel before he votes. (This stands for any elected position by the way.)

When it comes to the issue of high taxes he quickly turns a deaf ear and does not seemingly comprehend how hard hit the average person is and how much the yearly phrase from council "it will only cost the average resident and extra $38 dollars this year" really costs people. He seems to have injected no ideas, or suggestion to get costs under control and no ideas to get fiscal management of the municipality actually managed fiscally with restraint.

Just like his personal expenses last year (2008, waiting on 2009 figures, which also came in as the highest)) when he expensed over five times what Ron Hooper did and they serve the same position, and $3,000 (2008, see are 2^nd annual report card for 2009) more then the next make one wonder if fiscal restraint is a known concept to him.

When it comes to the EFW he is telling some it is not the issue of the EFW but the financing of it with gas taxes. But then why would you go to Toronto to stop it with the "Ban the Burn Campaign" if the issue you are telling some is financing not burning? Is it one or both or does he just tell supporters and non-supporters of the EFW a different story? Is he trying to sell/make his constituents on being anti EFW by using different means? Isn’t it supposed to be the constituents telling Willie how to vote? Wouldn’t it make the most sense as we have been suggesting as have many others that they have a referendum vote on the ballot and let everyone have a say since it is such a big deal after all.

What we want to see Willie do is put his foot down and produce some ideas to reduce costs and taxes. To get out and talk to his constituents and to just feel a little of their pain. Being popular and a man of the community does not necessarily make a great politician. After all in order to reduce costs and taxes some toes are going to have to be stepped on, and some feelings hurt.

What we really do not need is another person like former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman that is just waiting in the wings for the next photo op.

Actions are always more effective then words let’s see some Willie. In this case a picture here is not worth a thousand words.

Cause underneath the sometimes floral shirt/sometimes nice suit it is the substance, and the results that speak the loudest and get the votes not the photo op and the endless run up of expenses and taxes.

In the last five-year with you and all the other’s on council the taxes have went up every single year. The debt still stands at around $31 million dollars without any plan in place to get rid of it; despite the council coming up with a one time brochure(appears gone now) online talking about "partnerships" for rec that never happened or was followed up. Desperate last minutes cuts have taken place at the last minute when the recession meltdown hit hard with no coherent plan. More money has been spent on unneeded capital projects, pool, library, and fire hall to name a few. And the worst of all is that one single issue, yes that of the EFW has directed your attention from all the issues that Clarington faces. We need someone that can keep more then one ball in the air.

So the question is Willie really for you? We will let you decide, but with us, when it comes to Willie we are through.

Till Next Time The Clarington Tax Guardian