2544 replies to this topic

[Jackerbie]

Should we place our bets on whether the chosen candidate will even be a City of Victoria taxpayer?

 

^You mean resident? Because I hate that term "taxpayer". 

 

Depends what population you are trying to capture: all residents are taxpayers*, but not all taxpayers are residents. Example, my dad lives in Saanich but owns a business in Victoria, so he is therefore a Victoria taxpayer but not a resident.

 

*Generally. Yes, there are some residents who pay zero municipal taxes.

Edited by Jackerbie, 28 November 2019 - 11:45 AM.

[Mike K.]

^You mean resident? Because I hate that term "taxpayer". 

 

You hate business owners that contribute the largest share of revenue to the City of Victoria?

[Stephen James]

Having an organised municipal party with open and transparent nominations is the way to go. NewCouncil's mistake was that it wasn't organised far-out from the election enough, and didn't have a transparent and open structure of a political party. I can go on TV's website and find out exactly who is in charge and (if I was interested) how to run for the nomination. 

The US founding fathers were exactly right about "factions". (Invite anyone to look up the warning.)  TV and every slate is a corruption of politics and should have been outlawed at the muni level. Disgusting dogma driven, "other" politics that drives us to the margins, as we've seen in too many examples.

 

I hope they reflect in shame.  (tongue in cheek bec they're too busy justifying means with ends to understand.)

[Stephen James]

Agreed. But also what about the suggestion that TV is essentially an extension of Ben and Jeremy? If true, I think voters deserve to have them be upfront about it.

TV is a (very cynical) extension of the provincial NDP... have a look at the executive but you need to go down the list past the figureheads.

[Rob Randall]

You hate business owners that contribute the largest share of revenue to the City of Victoria?

 

You know me, obviously not.

 

I hate it because it implies your value as a citizen is tied to income. 

[Mike K.]

You know me, obviously not.

 

I hate it because it implies your value as a citizen is tied to income. 

 

That's what we are, taxpayers. Whether we rent or own a home, or bun a business, we are paying elected officials to govern. I don't see how any of that relates to income as you could be struggling business person forced to pay $35,000 a year in municipal taxes or a multi-millionaire renter paying $3,500 in taxation for your unit.

[shoeflack]

The whole taxpayer/resident distinction is a bit whacky in a metro area anyways. I mean, who ultimately contributes more to the Victoria tax base? Someone who rents a home in Victoria but works on the West Shore, or someone who lives in another municipality but works downtown. Heck, anyone who stays in a hotel in Victoria is a Victoria taxpayer, per se, thanks to that 3% hotel tax.

 

At the end of the day, if you're spending most of your time in the City of Victoria, be that working here, living here, contributing to local issues, you're a-ok to be a Councillor in my book, even if that means you don't live here.

 

It's very difficult to be black and white with who should be allowed on Council in a region like ours ^{*cough*makestoomuchsensetoamalgamate*cough*}

[rjag]

Anyone remember the uproar from progressives when Richard Atwell had a slate for Saanich about how terrible slates were....now crickets from the same folks...

[spanky123]

Anyone remember the uproar from progressives when Richard Atwell had a slate for Saanich about how terrible slates were....now crickets from the same folks...

 

There are slates and there are slates. What TV has going for it is professional organization, campaigners, fundraisers and social media content experts. The others "slates" were not even in the same ball park.

[John M.]

There are slates and there are slates. What TV has going for it is professional organization, campaigners, fundraisers and social media content experts. The others "slates" were not even in the same ball park.

Exactly. TV is not a slate, TV is a municipal political party. 

[Nparker]

...TV is not a slate, TV is a municipal political party. 

And, terribly, terribly mis-named.

[sebberry]

Anyone catch this gem from Ben?

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[Nparker]

Can we please stop referring to Isitt as a socialist and label him correctly as a communist, for that is surely what he is. I am fairly certain he would agree.

[Awaiting Juno]

In that post-capitalist world, does everyone enjoy the same mediocre standard of living?  How terrible to strip from a world the possibility of something better in exchange for going above and beyond.  Why bother innovating?  Why bother having dozens of families rely on you as a business person to provide jobs and a stable paycheque?

 

The business person has been made out to be some kind of societal leech - all of their contributions ignored.  When there are no jobs?  When there are no patrons to the arts?  When there are no philanthropists?  When all of it is thrust upon the shoulders of governments, will the world be a better place?  Or are we heading towards a place where ever more people see no need to contribute at all?  A place where as long as someone is doing better than another, there is reason to take from that person and give to someone else, regardless of what was done to earn that better living in the first place?

[Nparker]

...are we heading towards a place where ever more people see no need to contribute at all?  A place where as long as someone is doing better than another, there is reason to take from that person and give to someone else, regardless of what was done to earn that better living in the first place?

I think history has proven that this model is no better at creating a utopia than capitalism.

[LJ]

I've heard there's 10 candidates so far confirmed in the running for Together Victoria. Their nomination meeting is going to be insane.

Now as long as we can convince the 9 failed candidates to run as independents we might have a chance of getting a moderate elected.

[Nparker]

Now as long as we can convince the 9 failed candidates to run as independents we might have a chance of getting a moderate elected.

Undoubtedly, the unsuccessful candidates will be convinced by the TV elite to fall on their swords for the sake of the team and the "good" of the city.

[rjag]

Anyone catch this gem from Ben?

 

what a fool... there isnt any other system that can hold a candle to capitalism and free trade for lifting people out of poverty...

[Awaiting Juno]

 

what a fool... there isnt any other system that can hold a candle to capitalism and free trade for lifting people out of poverty...

 

 

When poverty is by definition set as the "lowest" x % of income, can any system ever lift anyone out of poverty without at the same time subjecting another to poverty?  Many also argue that the root of the problem is income disparity - and that any system where a person makes more than some arbitrary multiple of the poorest person has failed.  However, is a system that allows a person to waste their resources - to not do what they are capable of, not also failing in some awful way?  

[Mike K.]

Stefanie Hardman is seeking Together Victoria’s nomination: https://www.stefaniehardman.ca/