2544 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

 

2022 is too long to wait

This, but I agree that another few months likely won't make much difference on the local political scene.

[Mike K.]

2022 is too long. Just postpone it to this fall, make it the usual election date and that’s far enough away that we’re likely to be well out of the woods.

[Kapten Kapsell]

In a council with 8 , what happens when votes are tied ...?

[Victoria Watcher]

In a council with 8 , what happens when votes are tied ...?

 

they go down to defeat.  just like when one councillor is missing for any reason (sick / away / excused from discussion and vote for conflict).

[Rob Randall]

In a council with 8 , what happens when votes are tied ...?

 

Assuming they all show up. It's very common for one or more councillors to be absent for a number of reasons so if you're already one person down that's a pretty thin thread.

 

I was leaning toward don't change the date but this is extraordinary. I now think we should postpone. Not just the crowds gathering at the polling station on election day but the act of campaigning. Nobody wants people knocking on their door right now handing them flyers or being intercepted on a street corner. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Nobody wants people knocking on their door right now handing them flyers or being intercepted on a street corner. 

 

especially if one candidate spray paints a big cross onto each door he has visited.  that's bad form at this time.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 March 2020 - 06:00 PM.

[Nparker]

 

Nobody wants people knocking on their door right now handing them flyers...

To be fair, I don't want anyone knocking on my door, handing me political flyers at any time.

[Sparky]

Shouldn’t we be canceling council meetings under the circumstances?

[Victoria Watcher]

probably.

[Nparker]

Shouldn’t we be canceling council meetings under the circumstances?

Why? Surely the CoV must have access to Skype or other online meeting/messaging tools. 

[Sparky]

^ Probably some rules about being public unless declared in camera.

[Nparker]

Aren't all non-in camera meetings already available online as they happen? If they aren't, it's not exactly rocket science to make them available. Surely this would be enough public scrutiny under the current circumstances to allow at least the basic decision making of the CoV to continue. 

[Stephen Andrew]

Since everything I say is going to be viewed through a campaign lens, I post thoughts here. However, I think they’re more appropriate in another thread.

So here goes....

We need leadership at this time. Leadership from all levels of government.

If I sat at the Victoria Council table today, my focus would be on doing everything in local government’s power to alleviate pressures on our citizens and business.

Times Colonist editor and publisher Dave Obee already suggested to remove parking fees downtown to help stimulate downtown businesses. It’s a start. But, we could do more...

Council should work to eliminate the lift in property taxes. Preferably we should see no increase in property taxes.

The Beautification and community grants program should be suspended. I think there are going to be higher priority pressures on our spending.

The city should renegotiate it’s free city bus pass program to divert the expense of unused passes to ease economic pressures.

All discretionary spending should cease immediately.

Capital projects should be reviewed.

The additional 20 plus postions the city plans to add to its payroll should be delayed or cancelled.

These are just a few ideas from my view - what are yours?

This is where our leaders should focus until we are in a more stable landscape.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Stephen

[spanky123]

^ Maybe it is a good time to shrink the 180 priorities down a little, like to single digits.

 

Don't be too hard on the Mayor, I am sure that she has a plan. She is just waiting for her backers to tell her what it is!

Edited by spanky123, 16 March 2020 - 06:30 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Times Colonist editor and publisher Dave Obee already suggested to remove parking fees downtown to help stimulate downtown businesses. It’s a start. But, we could do more...

 

but some health authorities (like ottawa city) say we should not even venture outside our own homes except if we have to.

[spanky123]

but some health authorities (like ottawa city) say we should not even venture outside our own homes except if we have to.

 

And that is a large part of the problem. We have our "experts" across the country telling folks different things. That leads to confusion and distrust.

[Stephen James]

Since everything I say is going to be viewed through a campaign lens, I post thoughts here. However, I think they’re more appropriate in another thread.

So here goes....

We need leadership at this time. Leadership from all levels of government.

If I sat at the Victoria Council table today, my focus would be on doing everything in local government’s power to alleviate pressures on our citizens and business.

Times Colonist editor and publisher Dave Obee already suggested to remove parking fees downtown to help stimulate downtown businesses. It’s a start. But, we could do more...

Council should work to eliminate the lift in property taxes. Preferably we should see no increase in property taxes.

The Beautification and community grants program should be suspended. I think there are going to be higher priority pressures on our spending.

The city should renegotiate it’s free city bus pass program to divert the expense of unused passes to ease economic pressures.

All discretionary spending should cease immediately.

Capital projects should be reviewed.

The additional 20 plus postions the city plans to add to its payroll should be delayed or cancelled.

These are just a few ideas from my view - what are yours?

This is where our leaders should focus until we are in a more stable landscape.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Stephen

 

This is a dramatic, and true, statement:  

We have a fraction of the ventilators that would be needed if the outbreak came anywhere close to the level it's at in northern Italy.   If it happens, doctors will have to lower the age at which someone will be denied a ventilator.  

Doesn't it behoove us to do anything we could to avoid this?

Our leaders (in name, I do wonder...) need to wake up and start communicating effectively.  This does not include any more non-answers like, "this is  rapidly evolving situation", for goodness sake.

The election should be postponed, full stop, until such time as it's safe, both real and perceived.

[Stephen James]

• resources will be stretched thinner - more than ever the city needs to focus clearly within it's jurisdiction
• set and example for support: lay no-one off and continue to pay even part time staff:  the economy needs money to move
• redirect resources to community needs, using triage:  support for the most vulnerable
• create a communications hub, focusing on/including the outside resources that will be most engaged: island health, first responders, hospital authorities, funeral homes.
• look to the worst hit communities and build infrastructure now: schools and arenas as testing and triage facilities.  Build quarantine locations.
• look for ways to use 2020 tax revenue to support the economy
• communicate more

Edited by Taco, 16 March 2020 - 07:00 AM.

[Mike K.]

Another aspect to the social distancing is to reduce accidents/hospital visits to ensure capacity is available should this thing go nuts.

It’s not just about keeping people away from the virus.

[Victoria Watcher]

Another aspect to the social distancing is to reduce accidents/hospital visits to ensure capacity is available should this thing go nuts.

It’s not just about keeping people away from the virus.

 

what?  getting closer to people might land you in hospital?   maybe a few sports.  i assume most couples are still sleeping in the same bed.  that's tens of millions of canadians getting close every night.  and day sometimes even. 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 March 2020 - 07:22 AM.