62 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

The problem is that the business community wants somebody who will shut up and do as they are told (like Alan started out) and not waste time with stupid things like harm prevention, homelessness, and affordable living!

I have been a witness to some of these discussions involving the business community and I can say that your accusation is not true. Not in the least. The business community realizes that the very survival of Downtown rests on our ability to help those in need and punish those who refuse and cause disorder.

I can also safely say that there really isn't anyone deciding who the candidates for mayor are. It's very open right now but the door is closing fast as the election is quickly approaching and Fortin's team is up and running and aiming for a strong win.

[spanky123]

I have been a witness to some of these discussions involving the business community and I can say that your accusation is not true. Not in the least. The business community realizes that the very survival of Downtown rests on our ability to help those in need and punish those who refuse and cause disorder.

I can also safely say that there really isn't anyone deciding who the candidates for mayor are. It's very open right now but the door is closing fast as the election is quickly approaching and Fortin's team is up and running and aiming for a strong win.

... so as not to intefere with the tourist trade, the value of the properties, or the ability to sell condos. Most business people would prefer to see the problem moved elsewhere than any attempt to actually help the people involved. I haven't seen too many business people attending council meetings asking to invite more treatment and harm reduction facilities into the downtown core.

Are you saying that there is not a group of business people trying to recruit someone to run for mayor and that Charlayne and Chris are not talking with them to see if they should run or not?

[Caramia]

I've heard business people declaring that they understand that downtown is the neighbourhood most suitable for absorbing social problems (but wishing that we could better work together as a region to fund that task). I've had a major developer tell me he was worried about what he was passing on to his grand-daughter. I've seen downtown business people reach in their pockets over and over and over to support those same services you are claiming they don't want downtown.

No doubt, the people you are talking about also exist. But the active business community doesn't deserve to be painted with that brush.

[rjag]

... so as not to intefere with the tourist trade, the value of the properties, or the ability to sell condos. Most business people would prefer to see the problem moved elsewhere than any attempt to actually help the people involved. I haven't seen too many business people attending council meetings asking to invite more treatment and harm reduction facilities into the downtown core.

Are you saying that there is not a group of business people trying to recruit someone to run for mayor and that Charlayne and Chris are not talking with them to see if they should run or not?

I guess in the same context one could ask if there are a group of Union folks doing the same thing, or the NDP, or ......

Sounds to me like you are seeing a conspiracy behind every storefront door!

I'm sure there are lots of groups of people out there that are discussing this same subject and trying to come up with suggestions as to who would best serve their particular interests. At the end of the day it will boil down to the person that has the best communication skills and personal touch with the voter.

I guess you could say I'm one of those 'business people', yet I dont wear a tie. I think I lean a little to the right of Genghis Khan but dont hold it against me. I am concerned that we are going to have a continuation of the weak kneed special interest groups that have done so much to damage this city.

Its not just the Mayor, it's the whole group, they are effectively disfunctional. The Province loves it that way so they can focus their attention elsewhere. If we had a few councils out the the 13 municipalities that actually got together and agreed on some stuff we could see some real progress where we live and work. Dare I say the 'A' word?

I think this election will be one of the lowest turnouts ever.

[Rob Randall]

Are you saying that there is not a group of business people trying to recruit someone to run for mayor and that Charlayne and Chris are not talking with them to see if they should run or not?

Yes there is, and I have been in on some of their meetings. They are extremely frustrated at their failure to find an electable candidate for Mayor. They are committed to solving the street issues, not just sweeping them under the rug because for the business community a healthy Downtown is crucial to the bottom line.

[VicHockeyFan]

Sipos and Fortin are about to appear on CFAX right now (5pm Wednesday).

[spanky123]

Word on the street is that Chris Coleman has been elected mayor. Don't think that they have told Charlayne yet though.

[Bernard]

Charlayne Thorton Joe is not running, Chris Coleman has not said yes or no

[spanky123]

Coleman said yes weeks ago which is why Charlayne is out. Chris hasn't announced it yet but it is a forgone conclusion.

My bet is that the Roundhouse "approval" for 21 stories is the trade off for getting the "business community" support.

[Mike K.]

Roundhouse approval? Chris has had the business community's support for many years.

[Bernard]

I had coffee with Chris today. He has not made up his mind if he is running or not. He is checking support, assessing if the electoral math of a three way race makes a win realistic.

Some people are telling him to run (as have been doing for some time) others are telling him he can do more good be secure on council than risking the run for mayor.

I pushed for a YES at the coffee, he would not commit at the moment. He said he would make his mind up in the next week.

Chris Coleman, in my opinion, has the potential to be the best mayor of this city has seen since before Peter Pollen - I have no idea how the mayors were like before PP. He is the right sort of person to be mayor of this city at this time. He is someone that understands the importance of knowing people's interests, that which underlies the positions people take. He is also someone that can take a council of nine people and make much more than 9 individuals, but a team for the betterment of the region.

If he runs, I will put as much energy as I can into his campaign.

[victorian fan]

I have no idea how the mayors were like before PP

Percy Scurrah (1955 - 1961 reelected for 3 consecutive terms) was an extremely popular mayor.

ps Terms were only two years in length.

[Holden West]

^Ahhh, two years--that accounts for the high turnover back then. Thanks.

[Concerned Citizens]

I see no difference in their voting behaviour between Mr. Coleman and Mr. Fortin. Notwithstanding his association with the NDP and VCE, Mr. Coleman has voted like an obedient Liberal.

-Hartnell

[Concerned Citizens]

Correction: I meant that Mr. Fortin votes like Mr. Coleman, who is certainly a Liberal. Sorry, folks....

-Hartnell

[Holden West]

^Wot?! They differ on voting constantly. They're almost polar opposites. Seriously, are you mistakenly watching another City Hall in another town?

[Ms. B. Havin]

^ Good one.

I'd add that to know how councillors vote, you actually have to attend Committee of the Whole meetings as well as Council hearings. I don't attend regularly, but I don't recall ever seeing members of the CCC there.

AFAIK, the minutes (which sometimes aren't available for ages anyway) don't tell you who voted which way. They only give the result, right?

I remember when Ben Isitt ran for mayor, and noticed that he almost never attended meetings. How can you expect to run the city when you never bother attending the grind of what actually happens in council?

[Baro]

All you have to do is see that there's some styles of buildings you don't like being built, and that there's still hobos on the street. Ergo the lot of them are corrupt clones owned by developers and the pro-hobo lobby. Actually Looking at what they actually say and do is just so pedestrian.

[Concerned Citizens]

CCC

Councillors Chandler, Madoff and Young are known to occasionally dissent from the prevailing Liberal orthodoxy on the current Victoria City Council. How do I know this? I read the newspapers, and note with interest the rare occasions when these worthies do assert some sort of independence of thought and action.

For example, with respect to the 'Cross Town Plan' enabling 24 storey towers to be built along Douglas and Yates Streets, the Council voted unanimously in favour. Even a single dissenting vote would be noticed by any careful reader.

Similarly for the issues of the arena, annual tax hikes, and of Council's non-action in protective zoning with respect to the proposed siting of the needle dispensary, no dissenting voices were reported in any media, as far as I am aware. Mr. Young did have an op-ed questioning the wisdom of a so-called 'safe injection site' printed in the T-C, however, some months ago, as I recall.

As for Ben Isitt's record of attendance at Victoria City Council meetings, I recall Alan Lowe trying to make hay of this irrelevant matter in the last election campaign, but these matters have nothing at all to do with CCC members keeping ourselves well informed through the usual media outlets.

Please cite for us a single instance where Messers Fortin and Coleman voted at variance with each other. I expect that one would have a difficult time doing so.

- Hartnell
CCC

[Bernard]

Gregory, I am not sure you understand what city councilors do. Voting on any given topic is the last step of a long process. How you interact as part of the process up until the vote is what matters.

Ideally the decisions of a council would be a consensus because everyone has raised all the issues and the best path forward had been decided.

As to the tax increases, why would they not occur? There is thing called inflation and the nature of local government taxation is that the budget is spread out over all the properties.

One more issue on residential property tax increases, they do not directly affect most of the people in Victoria because most of the people in Victoria rent and do not own. Census 2006 has 60% of Victorians living in rental units - that is in the city only.