11779 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

By my reckoning, residents of the CoV have somewhere between 5 and 8 liabilities on council at any given time.

[marks_28]

The financial disclosures reveal that four of the nine-member Victoria council have no assets, liabilities, real property, or corporate assets, according to their 2021 filings. Two of the councillors have only liabilities.

So someone rents their residence and that makes them less capable of a councillor?

[Victoria Watcher]

So someone rents their residence and that makes them less capable of a councillor?

 

people that are successful in life overwhelmingly own their own homes.  that's pretty indisputable.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 April 2021 - 06:31 PM.

[FogPub]

people that are successful in life overwhelmingly own their own homes.  that's pretty indisputable.

Depends how you define success.

 

Not everyone equates success with monetary wealth.

[Victoria Watcher]

Depends how you define success.

Not everyone equates success with monetary wealth.

can you write even a reasonably long list of successful people here that are not monetarily well off?

[Rob Randall]

^The problem is when you define success as wealth accumulation. There are people of modest means who have made substantial and measurable contributions to improving life in Victoria through things like organizing and volunteering. But there's little glamour associated with that.

[spanky123]

Depends how you define success.

 

Not everyone equates success with monetary wealth.

 

I would say that is most people. Success for most people means having enough to enjoy life the way you wish. In fact there are likely far more (as a percentage) of miserable rich people then there are middle income ones. 

[rjag]

So someone rents their residence and that makes them less capable of a councillor?

Agreed, it’s a bit strange, yet I understand the aim of the letter is to question the qualifications of a person who has no assets as to how they would understand managing a multi million $ budget and the fiscal impacts on employees and citizens by the decisions they make, no matter how trivial.

Don’t have to search very far to come up with examples of ridiculous expenditures in the last year when most people with an understanding of long term economic impacts on taxpayers may pause certain spending or tax increases.

CoV has been particularly tone deaf on that file.

[Rob Randall]

US Supreme Court justice Kavanaugh and Congressman Marco Rubio are two people that come to mind that have the superficial trappings of financial success which masks disastrous money-handling skills.

[Mike K.]

There, that feels better. Only 20 more references to US politics with respect to local issues and it’ll be a great Wednesday on this Island in the Pacific off the coast of Canada 😎

[Rob Randall]

I'm just saying.

[JimV]

“Success”, whatever that may mean, has nothing to do with it.  The issue is whether someone has the ability to manage large budgets.  Experience in managing large budgets is a fairly reliable predictor of one’s ability.  Duh.

[JohnsonStBridge]

Of note three of the four non-Victoria-resident councilors listed their address as "Victoria". Only Dubow was transparent enough to state he resides in "Esquimalt".

[Rob Randall]

Staff do a lot of the actual planning and managing of the budget. Council sets the overall goals of the budget.

[rjag]

Staff do a lot of the actual planning and managing of the budget. Council sets the overall goals of the budget.

 

Doesnt matter, Council supposedly sets and implements the vision. Staff's role is to interpret and try and fit the square pegs into the round holes.

 

Council needs to understand the source of all revenues, the greater context and impact of taxes, fees, budgets etc and the impact of the community at large to cover those costs whether in a recession or in good times. You pivot and respond accordingly and should have a solid understanding of what fat to trim and what projects may require more support. 

 

Due diligence is a thing and if you dont understand something, you make darn sure you have the proper management team to assist and advise or you slow the thing down until you learn more. You dont charge blindly like this group of clowns has done this past few years.

Edited by rjag, 07 April 2021 - 09:51 AM.

[Greg]

Staff do a lot of the actual planning and managing of the budget. Council sets the overall goals of the budget.

 

That's like saying the executive team of a corporation manages the budget, so there's no need for any of the members of the Board of Directors to understand budgets.

 

You can't provide effective oversight for things about which you have no understanding. 

[Rob Randall]

That's like saying the executive team of a corporation manages the budget, so there's no need for any of the members of the Board of Directors to understand budgets.

 

You can't provide effective oversight for things about which you have no understanding. 

 

Sure, I was just pointing out there are guardrails in place. And that sometimes business folks in fancy houses are the worst budgeters. But yes, I think it's helpful to vote in councillors with at least some budget management experience. 

[Victoria Watcher]

I do not get too worked up about it. as we know, Canadian cities cannot go bankrupt.

https://www.governin...traps-nein.html

[Awaiting Juno]

That's like saying the executive team of a corporation manages the budget, so there's no need for any of the members of the Board of Directors to understand budgets.

 

You can't provide effective oversight for things about which you have no understanding. 

 

That understanding often comes with the fullness of time. I'm not a renter now but I was. I'm not an employee now but I was. I'm no longer a childless adult, but I was. Those around the table right now have experienced the first half. Many haven't yet experienced parenthood. Many haven't yet experienced being management. Many haven't yet experienced home ownership. There's a certain systems thinking that comes with age, where you don't only think about the immediate impact, but also the impact of the impacts. That seems to be the missing bit, where they are acutely aware of the immediate issues, but neglect the sequalae of the decisions that are made. Many don't fully understand yet how things work, and yet they are wholly intent on changing the system in wholesale ways.

 

Look no further than the missive regarding upzoning all single family homes to permit up to 6 units on every lot without parking minimums, without public hearing all in the name of providing affordability. Yes spot zones and our current system is burdensome - however, this wholesale approach isn't going to bring affordability. Further, it may erode affordability for many as land values in the core then rocket further up - reflecting highest and best use, and those currently in SFH face inflated property taxes. Indeed family housing may evaporate entirely - in its stead, blocks upon blocks of townhouses with small patches for yards (a real travesty when public parks are not protected as safe spaces for everyone's use), and still price tags of $700,000 or better. The only boon will be to developers as the very fabric of what was Victoria is torn to shreds.

 

Yet, point out this simple fact and you will be tarred and possibly feathered for failing to address the housing crisis. The think supply alone will save us, without ever considering demand - they know just enough economics, just enough urban planning to be dangerous. They know what works - they've read about it, and they're going to prescribe the treatments accordingly, without ever, fully examining the patient before them: our city, without fully considering what is best for this specific city. Is the treatment a success if the patient dies?

[Mike K.]

That’s, um, that’s a good post Juno. I think you nailed it.