1156 replies to this topic

[Stephen James]

Cap Daily:

The City of Victoria has adopted its $300M operating budget for 2023, along with $180M in capital projects, after a process that had council attempting to balance its rising costs from inflation with its residents’ rising cost of living. The budget will see a 6.15% increase for residents and non-industrial businesses, down from what was originally about 9%.

 

I wonder if council and staff have any sense of what we perceive when we see crocodile tears over the budget, hear about the staged "agonizing", read cynical crap like "while considering the ability of the taxpayer to pay..." and then observe all the call-outs for grants, the continuation of every vanity project...

 

Any inkling of inconsistency?

Do they care about credibility, or assume they have none anyway?

Mystified.

[Mike K.]

Victoria has unlocked the doors to city hall now.

[spanky123]

Victoria has unlocked the doors to city hall now.

 

They have hired security now to stand inside the entrance instead?!

[Stephen James]

They have hired security now to stand inside the entrance instead?!

yes.

lol

[Mike K.]

Yes, they came with the locked doors. Now security scrutinizes what you want as you walk in.

Speaking of which, I was at a downtown bank the other day, and they had what looked like a 75 year old lady at the entrance. What’s the actual nature of the job, that these guards do? Surely it’s not any sort of security, and only a witness to events as they happen?

[Victoria Watcher]

Speaking of which, I was at a downtown bank the other day, and they had what looked like a 75 year old lady at the entrance. What’s the actual nature of the job, that these guards do? Surely it’s not any sort of security, and only a witness to events as they happen?

 

It's likely still some type of deterrence.    You lock eyes with that person well before you get to a teller.

[Victoria Watcher]

Discrimination from members of council

 

 

The unfair comments made by Victoria’s mayor and councillors at a recent public hearing should be of concern to all.

 

To suggest that opposition to views expressed by residents are made by those who are “change resistant” and “not changing with the times” are discriminatory comments directly targeting seniors.

 

These old blanket statements are undermining and often used by many to shut down further discussion when seniors express an opposing opinion (to a person/s who is not a senior).

The writer is correct in saying these kind of statements are condescending, they are also dismissive and very insulting to seniors. We should never hear these age-discriminating statements from anyone, let alone a mayor or councillor.

 

We are living in a time where age is truly the last frontier of discrimination.

 

Coletta Rese

Victoria

 

 

https://www.timescol...monarch-7029792

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 May 2023 - 04:03 AM.

[dasmo]

They don’t reserve that discrimination for seniors. In fact, any opposition is discriminated against. You get used to it. The trick is to not accept the names they call you. Don’t become the names they call you, but stand in your position of defiance. The magic word in Clown World isn’t please…. It’s No.

[GaryOak]

Everyone brings up "senior" discrimination but no one ever seems to talk about all these 55 plus buildings, and subdivisions that don't let people under 55 live in them. As well Senior's and children discounts are also a discriminatory policy based on age.

[Nparker]

So are family packs of chicken breasts and case lot sales for single people. Such is life.

[Victoria Watcher]

Can’t you freeze family lots?

I’ve got some bread I bought at 59 cents in 2002 still in my freezer.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 May 2023 - 11:19 AM.

[dasmo]

That’s the problem with “equity”. It’s impossible to bring everyone up. So once you understand it means pushing everyone down you get less excited about the Davonian plans. It’s not about giving everyone a home they want. It’s about taking away everyones homes they have.

[Victoria Watcher]

Not everyone wants Victoria to take charge

Re: “Municipal tax increases are hard to justify,” editorial, May 19.

 

To quote the editorial: ‘Victoria could likewise take on a similar ­responsibility for Oak Bay, Esquimalt and the West Shore. Of course that would require political courage.’

 

No, it would take political stupidity, not courage. I recently moved from Esquimalt (which I loved for the past 10 years) to Colwood (where I grew up and also love).

 

I moved farther from downtown Victoria — to be farther from downtown. I love my new neighbourhood and don’t need it Victorianized by people who don’t represent me, but their pet projects.

 

I don’t need politicians telling me how I need to densify my neighbourhood.

 

Victoria reaps what it sows. As the economic powerhouse of the region, it should charge a higher tax to those who do business there rather than complain that us outliers who don’t go there should share in the cost of their prosperity.

 

There are reasons (as explained by numerous letters to the editor) I don’t go downtown anymore, if I don’t need to.

 

I will gladly pay the extra 0.28 per cent property tax increase, compared to Victoria, to keep Victoria out of Colwood. Victoria doesn’t need more “responsibility,” it needs to fix their current responsibilities, not add more.

 

Aaron Malmgren

Colwood (happily)

 

 

https://www.timescol...f-taxes-7036125

[Victoria Watcher]

They want us to come, so they raise the prices

The City of Victoria wants us to come downtown more often so they extend paid parking hours and increase the parking fees. Have I missed something here?

 

Sharon White

Saanich

 

 

https://www.timescol...f-taxes-7036125

[dasmo]

They have no idea. It’s not Victoria… it’s not a single mayor’s pet project.

[Stephen James]

That’s the problem with “equity”. It’s impossible to bring everyone up. So once you understand it means pushing everyone down you get less excited about the Davonian plans. It’s not about giving everyone a home they want. It’s about taking away everyones homes they have.

 

The new neo-marxism:

Fueled by envy and disappointment; informed by Russian psyops bots. "I got mine by hard work; you stole yours; I want yours."

 

Some people's mommies forgot the lesson that life isn't fair and there will always be someone richer, better looking and smarter... and life can still be good if/when you grow up.

[Mike K.]

From Grumpy Taxpayers. Note the last one. I had forgotten about the musical railings. How did that even happen?:

In 2022, Victoria spent an estimated $2,500 (including printing and in-house labour) on a ‘Meet the work fleet’ trading card initiative that featured a sidewalk sweeper, sewer cleaner, zero waste truck, street sweeper and garbage truck.

In 2020, it was nominated for spending taxpayers' money, about $6,000 plus installation - on a French imported stainless steel public ping pong table. The city also planned to hand out free table tennis paddles and balls to nearby schools, businesses, homes and hotels, the costs unknown.

In 2017, Victoria’s Johnson St. bridge won the top national award from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for wastefulness. It was also known as the ‘Blue Bridge’ because of its light blue paint, a 100 metre span across the BC capital’s harbour. Built in 1924, the bridge needed some major work. A 2009 report showed the historic landmark could be refurbished for $23.6 million, and a new one built for $63 million. But Council didn’t want an old bridge spruced up, it wanted the fancy, new one which was finished several years over deadline. Final costs around $110 million.

It's unknown the costs or what ever happened to the urban spinning bench (USB for short) designed to charge your cell phone that was installed in Cook Street Village and unveiled in December 2018. This was funded by a My Great Neighbourhood Grant in July 2017, installed in the winter of 2018 and in place for one year. The City provided $4,000 for the materials, and the funding was matched by the applicant.

In 2016, it got a nod with a runner-up award, which is just as offensive to hardworking taxpayers. It spent $10,000 for music sensors placed on stairwell railings in a municipal parking garage. It's been dysfunctional since the pandemic.

[dasmo]

It's been dysfunctional since the pandemic.

(Pandemic measures)

[Matt R.]

The company behind the music railings is pretty cool, lots of nifty projects and I’m sure they’d be happy to refurbish the railings!

I used to work with one half of these artists, great guy.

https://www.monkeycinteractive.com/

[Nparker]

The company behind the music railings is pretty cool, lots of nifty projects and I’m sure they’d be happy to refurbish the railings...

Would they do it for free? If not, it's just more taxpayer money down the drain.