Very few of the decisions that have to be made by council are simple ones. A range of factors has to be considered, and not all of them are easily measurable, or clearly right or wrong.
However, all too often that's exactly the kind of rhetoric that is used in council chambers, or behind the scenes when proponents are pushing for a decision that will allow them to do something, or when those who oppose the decision want to ensure that you will back their point of view. And emotions usually come into play.
The decision about use of property on the riverbank is one of those decisions, where we have to sift through the emotions and passion before making a decision. And we have to face the unfortunate fact that we can't make everybody happy.
The proposed seniors' building is a discretionary use in the area, which is why it is before council, for the third time in five years. Previous approvals by council have expired, and the current proposal is different from the previous proposals, which is why it requires the same scrutiny. And discretionary means just that, it is up to council to decide if a particular proposal fits well in the area.
One of the black/white statements made by some councillors is that this new council has said that we're open to development, therefore we have to approve this. I don't actually recall council making that statement, and in any case being open to development doesn't mean that we rubber stamp every opportunity that is presented.
Another black/white argument that was made to me by one of the proponents is that I should support this so that seniors can have a nice view of the river. The implication there is that if I don't agree, then I'm against seniors (just like I'm against flowers and trees). Views are nice, but shouldn't come into the equation.
I do not support this proposal for a couple of reasons - I think that its footprint is too large for the area, and that the proponents are underestimating the space required, particularly for parking, in order to get approval from council. It will be a three storey building, towering over the single family homes in the area. Once the building is complete, it will be too late to do anything about it, and the owners will be free to, for example, convert assisted living spaces to condos.
They are asking to take over boulevard space, which is one of the reasons that I think it's too large, and I've been told that some residents have been pressured to sell their homes so that more area will be available. And their statement that residents don't need that much parking may seem sensible on the surface, until I remember that Mont St. Joseph's has asked twice for surrounding park space to be rezoned for parking, because even though their residents may not own vehicles, staff and visitors need far more parking than was originally estimated. All too often we underestimate parking needs, and the cars don't go away - they end up parked on streets, blocking driveways and decreasing visibility and street safety.
I don't deny that having another facility to pay taxes benefits the city, but we have to remember that this isn't the only property in the city that's available - that's another black/white statement that can lead to tunnel vision.
I've received more phone calls on this issue than any other that I can recall in my thirteen years on council. The neighbours have raised some valid concerns, and as I said, we need to sift through everything before making a decision that will affect the people who live in the area, not just for a short time, but forever.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." - Albert Einstein
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Think Before You Plant
A few people have asked about the motion that I put forward and which was passed at last week's council meeting - that the city stop automatically planting a tree whenever a city-owned tree is cut down.
This came about because, as part of the repairs done to the street and underlying water pipes in the 100 block of 10th Street East this summer, the boulevard on the south side of the street, and the trees on that boulevard, were removed, putting the new sidewalk right next to the roadway, and adding a couple of feet between the residential properties and the sidewalk. And in this couple of feet, between fences and, in one case, a large hedge, the city was preparing to plant trees. When I asked why we were going to that expense in an area where trees weren't needed, and were unlikely to thrive due to lack of room, I was told that it was city policy to replace every tree that is removed.
I'm not sure that's true. Two years ago, after a water main break that required digging up the boulevard in front of my house, one of the aged Manitoba maples in front of our house was removed. It hasn't been replaced. We weren't sorry to see it go, since it was, as most of the older Manitoba maples in Midtown, decaying and risking dropping branches on the street and sidewalk. But it hasn't been replaced, nor have we heard anything from the city about that option. And just for the record, I don't think a tree is needed there - the visibility pulling out onto 10th Street from 4th Avenue is poor enough.
In any case, I've heard my forester wife comment often enough that proposed solutions like planting a tree for every one that is cut are making things too simple. Part of good forestry, even urban forestry, means planting the right tree in the right place at the right time. And one of the responsibilities of urban forestry is taking proper care of those trees that you have. Judging by the rotten branches and stubs that I see in my walks around the downtown neighbourhoods, we don't do a good enough job of that. There are far too many trees with dead branches that are just waiting for a good windstorm, or less, to drop, and far too many where a half-hearted pruning job has just removed part of the problem, and the rest of the crown is obviously dying. And many of the trees planted along Central Avenue and the feeder streets need to have the grates that surround their roots cleaned out on a regular basis. I would far rather city crews were taking care of these problems in a systematic way, than planting trees without thinking, particularly if, as often seems to be the case, the replacement trees are those same Manitoba maples that develop problems at a relatively early age.
This doesn't mean that the city won't plant replacement trees. If one is removed from in front of your house, and you want it replaced, all you have to do is ask. In other areas, particularly parks and medians, planting trees is more likely to be the right choice.
All I'm asking is that, rather than following a one size fits all policy, we look a little more closely to ensure that the right tree is being planted in a space where it will have room to grow to maturity, and that the decision is part of an overall plan to ensure that Prince Albert keeps its urban forest healthy and growing, providing all the benefits that trees can provide to a city.
"As the poet said 'only God can make a tree', probably because it's so hard to figure out how to get the bark on." - Woody Allen
This came about because, as part of the repairs done to the street and underlying water pipes in the 100 block of 10th Street East this summer, the boulevard on the south side of the street, and the trees on that boulevard, were removed, putting the new sidewalk right next to the roadway, and adding a couple of feet between the residential properties and the sidewalk. And in this couple of feet, between fences and, in one case, a large hedge, the city was preparing to plant trees. When I asked why we were going to that expense in an area where trees weren't needed, and were unlikely to thrive due to lack of room, I was told that it was city policy to replace every tree that is removed.
I'm not sure that's true. Two years ago, after a water main break that required digging up the boulevard in front of my house, one of the aged Manitoba maples in front of our house was removed. It hasn't been replaced. We weren't sorry to see it go, since it was, as most of the older Manitoba maples in Midtown, decaying and risking dropping branches on the street and sidewalk. But it hasn't been replaced, nor have we heard anything from the city about that option. And just for the record, I don't think a tree is needed there - the visibility pulling out onto 10th Street from 4th Avenue is poor enough.
In any case, I've heard my forester wife comment often enough that proposed solutions like planting a tree for every one that is cut are making things too simple. Part of good forestry, even urban forestry, means planting the right tree in the right place at the right time. And one of the responsibilities of urban forestry is taking proper care of those trees that you have. Judging by the rotten branches and stubs that I see in my walks around the downtown neighbourhoods, we don't do a good enough job of that. There are far too many trees with dead branches that are just waiting for a good windstorm, or less, to drop, and far too many where a half-hearted pruning job has just removed part of the problem, and the rest of the crown is obviously dying. And many of the trees planted along Central Avenue and the feeder streets need to have the grates that surround their roots cleaned out on a regular basis. I would far rather city crews were taking care of these problems in a systematic way, than planting trees without thinking, particularly if, as often seems to be the case, the replacement trees are those same Manitoba maples that develop problems at a relatively early age.
This doesn't mean that the city won't plant replacement trees. If one is removed from in front of your house, and you want it replaced, all you have to do is ask. In other areas, particularly parks and medians, planting trees is more likely to be the right choice.
All I'm asking is that, rather than following a one size fits all policy, we look a little more closely to ensure that the right tree is being planted in a space where it will have room to grow to maturity, and that the decision is part of an overall plan to ensure that Prince Albert keeps its urban forest healthy and growing, providing all the benefits that trees can provide to a city.
"As the poet said 'only God can make a tree', probably because it's so hard to figure out how to get the bark on." - Woody Allen
Sunday, September 8, 2013
A Look Back at Summer
As we ease into fall, although the temperatures are still quite summer-like, but with shorter days and cooler nights, I find it only natural to look back at the last few months. While they are quieter on the formal council front, with fewer meetings, personally summer is not usually a time of much relaxing for me.
I did have the opportunity to spend almost a week in Saskatoon at the national conference of police commissions. This was an excellent conference, with many good speakers and discussion opportunities. The focus was on the ever-increasing effect of mental health on police work - with changes to mental health practices, more and more of the issues that police have to deal with involve people with mental health problems. It makes an already complicated job even more so, and it was certainly fascinating to hear the experiences of police departments across Canada, and learn about some of their initiatives.
And while council may be less active in the summer, I had many people comment to me about the amount of work that they could see being done on our streets, and most saw it as being extremely positive - they can see their tax dollars at work, and appreciate that. The annoyance of having to find alternative routes to get where you're going is seen to be just that - a temporary annoyance. Andrea's normal walk to work had to take a detour with the extensive work done in the 100 block of 10th Street East, but even she found unexpected benefits in the yellow raspberries growing along a fence in the back alley detour that she had to take for a week or two.
So how have I been filling my days? Once again, I've been reminded that one of the joys of owning a hundred plus year old house is that there is never a shortage of work to keep me busy. I replaced five of the windows in the house, took the old carpet out of the television room and replaced it with laminate flooring (sadly, I took a shortcut on that job which means I'll have to do it over, likely this winter), and, most notably, I've been replacing the shingles on the north side of our roof.
I've had to remove several layers of old shingles as well as the original cedar shakes, with their many, many really old tiny nails, replace some of the underlying boards, and take down the chimneys - more complicated than I originally thought it would be. And working on a steeply pitched roof isn't something that many people are willing to volunteer for. In fact, it's not something that I want anyone inexperienced to even try - just too risky if you don't know what you're doing, or if you're not comfortable with heights. My efforts to hire experienced help weren't successful either, so except for much appreciated help in cleaning up the old shingles and bricks, it's been a solo effort.
It gets quite hot up there, but I'm grateful that there hasn't been too much rain to slow me down. I figure that I'm more than halfway there, and the tricky parts are done, so I can see that I'll soon be coming to the end of the days when I have to strap on the safety harness.
Fewer council meetings through the summer means that our agendas when we get back in September are a bit thicker than usual, but hopefully summer has been a rejuvenating break for all of us. I think that as this new council moves into its second year, and we all become more familiar with this more open and cooperative way of working, our focus on making our efforts more effective and efficient will continue to show results.
"Summertime is always the best of what might be." Charles Bowden
I did have the opportunity to spend almost a week in Saskatoon at the national conference of police commissions. This was an excellent conference, with many good speakers and discussion opportunities. The focus was on the ever-increasing effect of mental health on police work - with changes to mental health practices, more and more of the issues that police have to deal with involve people with mental health problems. It makes an already complicated job even more so, and it was certainly fascinating to hear the experiences of police departments across Canada, and learn about some of their initiatives.
And while council may be less active in the summer, I had many people comment to me about the amount of work that they could see being done on our streets, and most saw it as being extremely positive - they can see their tax dollars at work, and appreciate that. The annoyance of having to find alternative routes to get where you're going is seen to be just that - a temporary annoyance. Andrea's normal walk to work had to take a detour with the extensive work done in the 100 block of 10th Street East, but even she found unexpected benefits in the yellow raspberries growing along a fence in the back alley detour that she had to take for a week or two.
So how have I been filling my days? Once again, I've been reminded that one of the joys of owning a hundred plus year old house is that there is never a shortage of work to keep me busy. I replaced five of the windows in the house, took the old carpet out of the television room and replaced it with laminate flooring (sadly, I took a shortcut on that job which means I'll have to do it over, likely this winter), and, most notably, I've been replacing the shingles on the north side of our roof.
I've had to remove several layers of old shingles as well as the original cedar shakes, with their many, many really old tiny nails, replace some of the underlying boards, and take down the chimneys - more complicated than I originally thought it would be. And working on a steeply pitched roof isn't something that many people are willing to volunteer for. In fact, it's not something that I want anyone inexperienced to even try - just too risky if you don't know what you're doing, or if you're not comfortable with heights. My efforts to hire experienced help weren't successful either, so except for much appreciated help in cleaning up the old shingles and bricks, it's been a solo effort.
It gets quite hot up there, but I'm grateful that there hasn't been too much rain to slow me down. I figure that I'm more than halfway there, and the tricky parts are done, so I can see that I'll soon be coming to the end of the days when I have to strap on the safety harness.
Fewer council meetings through the summer means that our agendas when we get back in September are a bit thicker than usual, but hopefully summer has been a rejuvenating break for all of us. I think that as this new council moves into its second year, and we all become more familiar with this more open and cooperative way of working, our focus on making our efforts more effective and efficient will continue to show results.
"Summertime is always the best of what might be." Charles Bowden
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Some Thoughts on City Slogans
A story on the front page of Saturday's local paper posed the question: Does Prince Albert need a new slogan? This had been initiated by the thoughts of one of my fellow councillors, who suggested that a new brand, or slogan for the city is needed, preferably one that doesn't include the phrase Gateway to the North, since that might suggest that this is a place for passing through, not staying.
The previous council changed the city slogan just a couple of years ago, from Gateway to the North to Beautiful Gateway City, and a new sign (costing thousands of dollars) with that slogan was put up by the Tourism Centre at the south end of town.
I didn't agree with that change, partly because beautiful is a subjective term,so that what I consider beautiful and what you consider beautiful are probably different. And really, a city that is beautiful shouldn't have to make a point of telling people that. I also didn't agree because spending time talking about a slogan is making the mistake of putting image before substance - having a catchy slogan has nothing to do with good governance. Sometimes with the previous council, it seemed that every year a new slogan was floated, and sank quickly without leaving a trace - remember Proud to be PA? How about You Can't Spell Paradise Without PA? PA - Positive Attitude? I would hate to see council spending any more time or money on efforts to dream up a new slogan, with the idea that an attempt to rebrand our city will attract more people here.
And really, slogans are meant for advertising campaigns - in fact, one definition of slogan is that it is a brief attention-getting phrase used in advertising and promotion. Think Disneyland (The Happiest Place on Earth) or Nike (Just Do It) or WalMart (Save money. Live better.) or Survivor (Outwit. Outlast. Outplay.) All memorable, I'll agree. And all created by professionals who sell things for a living, not by a bunch of city politicians, or through community involvement.
Most people asked by the local paper thought that the previous slogan, Gateway to the North, worked just fine - short, descriptive, and to the point. Changing it to something that conveys the idea that Prince Albert is a destination isn't going to make that happen. In my travels, I can't think of a single place that I go to because of the town's slogan - it's because there are things there that I want to do. I don't know what Stratford's slogan is, but I do know that there's a Shakespearean Festival there, I don't know what Toronto or Vancouver use for a slogan, but I do know that going to either of those two cities will give me lots to do.
City council can't make the city into what we hope it could be just by talking. Our role is to put the guidelines in place to allow things to happen - bylaws, zones, taxation policies - and hope that these guidelines enable and encourage growth, not restrict it. Our responsibilities of maintaining infrastructure and ensuring public safety are also key to making the city an attractive place to live. That's where we need to focus our energies, recognizing that there are no quick fixes, and that most of our problems aren't solved just by throwing tax payers' dollars in a general direction.
Changing our slogan - not even close to the top of the priority list, in my opinion.
"There is a tendency to try to dumb everything down and turn everything into a one-paragraph press release or even less, just a slogan." - Malcolm Turnbull
The previous council changed the city slogan just a couple of years ago, from Gateway to the North to Beautiful Gateway City, and a new sign (costing thousands of dollars) with that slogan was put up by the Tourism Centre at the south end of town.
I didn't agree with that change, partly because beautiful is a subjective term,so that what I consider beautiful and what you consider beautiful are probably different. And really, a city that is beautiful shouldn't have to make a point of telling people that. I also didn't agree because spending time talking about a slogan is making the mistake of putting image before substance - having a catchy slogan has nothing to do with good governance. Sometimes with the previous council, it seemed that every year a new slogan was floated, and sank quickly without leaving a trace - remember Proud to be PA? How about You Can't Spell Paradise Without PA? PA - Positive Attitude? I would hate to see council spending any more time or money on efforts to dream up a new slogan, with the idea that an attempt to rebrand our city will attract more people here.
And really, slogans are meant for advertising campaigns - in fact, one definition of slogan is that it is a brief attention-getting phrase used in advertising and promotion. Think Disneyland (The Happiest Place on Earth) or Nike (Just Do It) or WalMart (Save money. Live better.) or Survivor (Outwit. Outlast. Outplay.) All memorable, I'll agree. And all created by professionals who sell things for a living, not by a bunch of city politicians, or through community involvement.
Most people asked by the local paper thought that the previous slogan, Gateway to the North, worked just fine - short, descriptive, and to the point. Changing it to something that conveys the idea that Prince Albert is a destination isn't going to make that happen. In my travels, I can't think of a single place that I go to because of the town's slogan - it's because there are things there that I want to do. I don't know what Stratford's slogan is, but I do know that there's a Shakespearean Festival there, I don't know what Toronto or Vancouver use for a slogan, but I do know that going to either of those two cities will give me lots to do.
City council can't make the city into what we hope it could be just by talking. Our role is to put the guidelines in place to allow things to happen - bylaws, zones, taxation policies - and hope that these guidelines enable and encourage growth, not restrict it. Our responsibilities of maintaining infrastructure and ensuring public safety are also key to making the city an attractive place to live. That's where we need to focus our energies, recognizing that there are no quick fixes, and that most of our problems aren't solved just by throwing tax payers' dollars in a general direction.
Changing our slogan - not even close to the top of the priority list, in my opinion.
"There is a tendency to try to dumb everything down and turn everything into a one-paragraph press release or even less, just a slogan." - Malcolm Turnbull
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Slowing Down in Summer
Last Monday was our last council meeting until the middle of August. We've been doing this for several years now - one council meeting in July, and one in August, with an Executive meeting in each month the week before the council meeting.
There are some positives to this. For those who prefer to vacation in the summer, it provides a couple of blocks of time when a three week absence won't result in missing any meetings. It also gives some relief to administrative staff who attend council meetings - they too can take time off, or at least have a shorter than usual day on Mondays when a meeting is cancelled.
But city business still goes on. In fact, for most of our staff, who either work outdoors or manage those who do, this is their busy time, and summer vacations are not something that they can take for granted. Things have changed - just as shopping is now a seven day a week option, vacations are no longer limited to the summer, and perhaps council operations need to recognize that taking it easy during the summer may not be affordable any more. Maybe we need to keep working year-round, even if it means that if you take summer holidays, you may not get that perfect attendance award. But council as a whole may be able to get more done.
Perhaps we need to take the opportunity in summer to focus on the important, but not necessarily urgent, matters. Perhaps getting together to brainstorm solutions for some of our chronic issues might be a good use of our time.
For example, in talking with some of our staff about the focused paving projects that we're doing this year, to try to catch up with the backlog from past years of neglect, they've had some good ideas about how the process could be made more efficient. There are a lot of steps that have to happen from start to finish when repairing a street, but some of the steps, like boulevard repair, may not happen in the same year, or even within a couple of years, as the main work. We should explore the options out there for removing those gaps, and work with staff so that those ideas with the most promise get a trial run, rather than just have things continue to be done the way they've always been done.
Another chronic issue that is probably the one that is raised with me most often, is dealing with boarded up properties. This seems to be more of an issue in the summer, perhaps because that's often when those with nowhere else to live will move into these places, even without the basic utilities of power and running water. You can imagine how unpleasant a place like this would be to have in your neighbourhood, and it's not uncommon for fires to occur in these situations, endangering both the temporary inhabitants and the surrounding homes. We need to find a faster way of getting these properties either back up to code and habitable, or taken down, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss possible solutions with council and staff.
This council is trying to operate differently from previous councils - working more efficiently, and spending taxpayers' dollars more effectively. Maybe it's time we looked at our meeting schedule, and even at the way we approach our discussions about problems, differently too. I'm not advocating that we forget that it's summer - I enjoy the longer days and the more relaxed feeling that everyone seems to have (and I appreciate not having to wear a suit to council meetings), but I think that, even though it's summer, we still need to continue looking at our problems, and finding solutions. And just as the best ideas often come when you're relaxed, not trying to meet deadlines, maybe we'll come up with solutions for some long-standing problems.
"Summer's lease hath all too short a date." - William Shakespeare
There are some positives to this. For those who prefer to vacation in the summer, it provides a couple of blocks of time when a three week absence won't result in missing any meetings. It also gives some relief to administrative staff who attend council meetings - they too can take time off, or at least have a shorter than usual day on Mondays when a meeting is cancelled.
But city business still goes on. In fact, for most of our staff, who either work outdoors or manage those who do, this is their busy time, and summer vacations are not something that they can take for granted. Things have changed - just as shopping is now a seven day a week option, vacations are no longer limited to the summer, and perhaps council operations need to recognize that taking it easy during the summer may not be affordable any more. Maybe we need to keep working year-round, even if it means that if you take summer holidays, you may not get that perfect attendance award. But council as a whole may be able to get more done.
Perhaps we need to take the opportunity in summer to focus on the important, but not necessarily urgent, matters. Perhaps getting together to brainstorm solutions for some of our chronic issues might be a good use of our time.
For example, in talking with some of our staff about the focused paving projects that we're doing this year, to try to catch up with the backlog from past years of neglect, they've had some good ideas about how the process could be made more efficient. There are a lot of steps that have to happen from start to finish when repairing a street, but some of the steps, like boulevard repair, may not happen in the same year, or even within a couple of years, as the main work. We should explore the options out there for removing those gaps, and work with staff so that those ideas with the most promise get a trial run, rather than just have things continue to be done the way they've always been done.
Another chronic issue that is probably the one that is raised with me most often, is dealing with boarded up properties. This seems to be more of an issue in the summer, perhaps because that's often when those with nowhere else to live will move into these places, even without the basic utilities of power and running water. You can imagine how unpleasant a place like this would be to have in your neighbourhood, and it's not uncommon for fires to occur in these situations, endangering both the temporary inhabitants and the surrounding homes. We need to find a faster way of getting these properties either back up to code and habitable, or taken down, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss possible solutions with council and staff.
This council is trying to operate differently from previous councils - working more efficiently, and spending taxpayers' dollars more effectively. Maybe it's time we looked at our meeting schedule, and even at the way we approach our discussions about problems, differently too. I'm not advocating that we forget that it's summer - I enjoy the longer days and the more relaxed feeling that everyone seems to have (and I appreciate not having to wear a suit to council meetings), but I think that, even though it's summer, we still need to continue looking at our problems, and finding solutions. And just as the best ideas often come when you're relaxed, not trying to meet deadlines, maybe we'll come up with solutions for some long-standing problems.
"Summer's lease hath all too short a date." - William Shakespeare
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Water, Water Everywhere
Along with the mayor, Councillor Miller and the fire chief, I toured Little Red River Park on Friday, and was able to see first-hand the damage that the extra water released into the system has caused. It's surprising how the landscape has been permanently changed, along with the various man-made structures in the park, and there's no doubt that it's going to be quite some time before this favourite spot for hiking, picnics and running is usable again.
In all the various water-logged issues that we've been swamped with this year (deep apologies for the pun), there are some things to be grateful for. The rise in the North Saskatchewan last weekend was much lower than predicted, and personally I thought that being prepared for the worst while hoping for the best was the responsible way to go. We should also be grateful that the province picked up the bills for flood preparation, including taking care of the sand-bagging around the Cosmo Lodge. Costs to the city have been minimal.
The evacuation of Cumberland House, while it proved not to be necessary, was another case of being safe rather than sorry. And a couple of community events for the evacuees that were open to everyone was a nice bonus - we don't have enough opportunities for getting out in the summer within the city - not everyone can head out to the lake on a warm summer evening.
If there's one concern that rises out of the situation not being as bad as was predicted, it's that there might be a sense of complacency the next time there are flood warnings, so people might slack off in their preparations. From what I've learned from the province, they're constantly working to improve their predictive models, using information from what actually happens with increased water flows, so I'm sure that this year's data will be built into their models and the confidence in the predictions will improve.
The silver lining of the devastation to Little Red is the chance to rebuild based on what we've learned, so that we're better prepared for next time. For example, the asphalt paths right next to the river that are now gone - maybe we shouldn't be investing money in that sort of infrastructure that's so close to the water. We'll be able to take advantage of new knowledge about structural improvements when replacing or repairing the various crossing structures so that they might be able to better withstand the next flood. Because water being what it is, there will be a next time.
Let's just hope that next time, we're as well-prepared as we were this time.
"Nothing is softer or more flexible that water, yet nothing can resist it." Lao Tzu
In all the various water-logged issues that we've been swamped with this year (deep apologies for the pun), there are some things to be grateful for. The rise in the North Saskatchewan last weekend was much lower than predicted, and personally I thought that being prepared for the worst while hoping for the best was the responsible way to go. We should also be grateful that the province picked up the bills for flood preparation, including taking care of the sand-bagging around the Cosmo Lodge. Costs to the city have been minimal.
The evacuation of Cumberland House, while it proved not to be necessary, was another case of being safe rather than sorry. And a couple of community events for the evacuees that were open to everyone was a nice bonus - we don't have enough opportunities for getting out in the summer within the city - not everyone can head out to the lake on a warm summer evening.
If there's one concern that rises out of the situation not being as bad as was predicted, it's that there might be a sense of complacency the next time there are flood warnings, so people might slack off in their preparations. From what I've learned from the province, they're constantly working to improve their predictive models, using information from what actually happens with increased water flows, so I'm sure that this year's data will be built into their models and the confidence in the predictions will improve.
The silver lining of the devastation to Little Red is the chance to rebuild based on what we've learned, so that we're better prepared for next time. For example, the asphalt paths right next to the river that are now gone - maybe we shouldn't be investing money in that sort of infrastructure that's so close to the water. We'll be able to take advantage of new knowledge about structural improvements when replacing or repairing the various crossing structures so that they might be able to better withstand the next flood. Because water being what it is, there will be a next time.
Let's just hope that next time, we're as well-prepared as we were this time.
"Nothing is softer or more flexible that water, yet nothing can resist it." Lao Tzu
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Lessons I Hope We've Learned from This Year's Budget
Now that the tax notices have been sent, there's been quite a bit of feedback on the impact on both residents and business owners. Most home owners are facing a higher increase due to the flat taxes - the Pineview Terrace levy of $27, the $60 flat tax set a couple of years ago which has an undefined purpose, but which has been used in both previous years to balance the budget, and the new $189 flat tax which is directed to road repair and maintenance. Flat taxes have a greater proportional impact on lesser valued properties - only high value properties will have seen a lower than average increase. In my own case, our property taxes have increased by 19%.
This, of course, pales in comparison to the impact on businesses, particularly small businesses, where flat taxes have the same higher proportional impact as on lower value homes. Unfortunately, administration didn't provide specific examples of what the effect would be, but when I did some rough calculations based on how the $60 flat tax had translated into taxes on businesses from $300 to $3,000, it wasn't difficult to make the assumption that tripling the flat tax was going to hit small businesses pretty hard, and I said this before each budget vote, but to little effect, unfortunately. My motion to remove the $60 flat tax and put it back into the mill rate calculations was also unsuccessful.
As I said in an earlier blog, I don't like flat taxes, but I support the two directed flat taxes because they will be dedicated to set, and necessary, purposes, not used to balance the budget. The road maintenance flat tax was the only option that we could think of to make up for past neglect and misspending. If this tax proves to be more than we need for a year of work, then it can be reduced in the future. And the Pineview Terrace levy will be gone after 2015.
Tax increases are never popular, of course, even when they're necessary, but I hope that, as a council, we've learned from the almost universal negative response that we've received, whether formally, in the press, or in our casual encounters, and that we use this learning in next year's budget process.
First, we need to look at the whole budget, including the base budget, at the start of the process. Even this year, only a few things were taken out of the base budget, and that was because they were specific unnecessary expenditures identified by council members. But when you don't see all the details, it's really hard to identify all of the savings that could be made. In some places, zero-based budgeting is the norm, and I'd really like us to start there. That's when every expenditure made by the city is identified, and justified, before being approved. Our administration tends to start with last year's budget, and add to it, rather than looking at current spending and seeing where we could spend less.
I think that an overall personnel review is long overdue. It seems that new positions are often created, but we rarely look at reductions in positions, even when attrition makes it possible to do so without affecting an actual person.
There should be no sacred cows in the budget. Just because we have always done things a certain way, or spent money on certain things, doesn't mean that these things should continue without there being any scrutiny of the need, or the method.
We need for administration to give us a better picture of the impact of proposed tax increases, for both residents and businesses. I think that often, because we're elected by the people who live in our wards, not by the businesses that are located there, we don't worry as much about the effect of our various decisions on the businesses that are necessary for the health of our community. We often talk about the quality of life that the various recreational and artistic facilities provide - a broad spectrum of healthy businesses in a community is even more important to our quality of life.
And, as always, let's not be afraid to ask questions if we're not clear on something, or if something seems too good to be true, like the idea that reassessment wouldn't cause tax increases. Why people thought that if the value of your property went up, your taxes wouldn't also increase, is one of those "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" things. Let's ask for definite proof, rather than just hearing what we want to hear.
Every year is a learning experience, but it can only benefit our city if we take and apply what we've learned, rather than hoping that people will forget before the next election.
"What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin." - Mark Twain
This, of course, pales in comparison to the impact on businesses, particularly small businesses, where flat taxes have the same higher proportional impact as on lower value homes. Unfortunately, administration didn't provide specific examples of what the effect would be, but when I did some rough calculations based on how the $60 flat tax had translated into taxes on businesses from $300 to $3,000, it wasn't difficult to make the assumption that tripling the flat tax was going to hit small businesses pretty hard, and I said this before each budget vote, but to little effect, unfortunately. My motion to remove the $60 flat tax and put it back into the mill rate calculations was also unsuccessful.
As I said in an earlier blog, I don't like flat taxes, but I support the two directed flat taxes because they will be dedicated to set, and necessary, purposes, not used to balance the budget. The road maintenance flat tax was the only option that we could think of to make up for past neglect and misspending. If this tax proves to be more than we need for a year of work, then it can be reduced in the future. And the Pineview Terrace levy will be gone after 2015.
Tax increases are never popular, of course, even when they're necessary, but I hope that, as a council, we've learned from the almost universal negative response that we've received, whether formally, in the press, or in our casual encounters, and that we use this learning in next year's budget process.
First, we need to look at the whole budget, including the base budget, at the start of the process. Even this year, only a few things were taken out of the base budget, and that was because they were specific unnecessary expenditures identified by council members. But when you don't see all the details, it's really hard to identify all of the savings that could be made. In some places, zero-based budgeting is the norm, and I'd really like us to start there. That's when every expenditure made by the city is identified, and justified, before being approved. Our administration tends to start with last year's budget, and add to it, rather than looking at current spending and seeing where we could spend less.
I think that an overall personnel review is long overdue. It seems that new positions are often created, but we rarely look at reductions in positions, even when attrition makes it possible to do so without affecting an actual person.
There should be no sacred cows in the budget. Just because we have always done things a certain way, or spent money on certain things, doesn't mean that these things should continue without there being any scrutiny of the need, or the method.
We need for administration to give us a better picture of the impact of proposed tax increases, for both residents and businesses. I think that often, because we're elected by the people who live in our wards, not by the businesses that are located there, we don't worry as much about the effect of our various decisions on the businesses that are necessary for the health of our community. We often talk about the quality of life that the various recreational and artistic facilities provide - a broad spectrum of healthy businesses in a community is even more important to our quality of life.
And, as always, let's not be afraid to ask questions if we're not clear on something, or if something seems too good to be true, like the idea that reassessment wouldn't cause tax increases. Why people thought that if the value of your property went up, your taxes wouldn't also increase, is one of those "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" things. Let's ask for definite proof, rather than just hearing what we want to hear.
Every year is a learning experience, but it can only benefit our city if we take and apply what we've learned, rather than hoping that people will forget before the next election.
"What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin." - Mark Twain
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