Let the suck ups rally around the flag

Mammoliti joins the Ford camp
My favourite Mr Charisma does a 180 and bows down before El Ford.  How long before other councillors jump on the bandwagon and start singing the gravy-train tune?

Will the former City of York finally become fertile ground for political freshmen?

York candidates debate in Jane-Falstaff
I'm surprised the media isn't focusing on the longevity of Councillors from the former City of York who are still on council.  There are a handful who have been around since the '80s!  What with the anti-incumbent backlash being encouraged by the media you would think that Councillors in this area à la Augimeri, Saundercook and Di Giorgio.  And yet there has been barely any media mention of any of the elections in these Wards.  Can they really be that safe?

Well at least now a debate in Ward 12 gets some media attention.  Di Giorgio has been a waste of space on council for the last 10 years and it would be a shame to see him there for another four.  I hope one of the candidates profiled in the article actually unseat him this year.  We'll see!

Ward 9: Taking on Councillor Augimeri

Councillor Maria Augimeri has been in City politics since the early '80s when she was elected as a school trustee.  In 1985 she was elected as Councillor for the former City of North York.

Ward 9 made the news after the blast at Sunrise Propane at 54 Murray Rd.  The explosion claimed two casualties: Sunrise employee Parminder Singh Saini and firefighter Bob Leek.  A particular outburst at the president of a local ratepayers' association, Tony Di Santo, during a press conference after the explosion cemented the image for some residents of their representative as uncaring.  The Councillor once again recently made headlines when she said that suburban residents of Toronto were on a learning curve vis-à-vis 'progressive' downtown politics.   Will her eternal presence in local politics and her foot-in-mouth lead voters to kick her out this coming election?

Councillor Augimeri was absent during the vote on Councillor pay raises for 2010, voted in favour of having taxpayers cover Sandra Bussin's legal costs, voted for the Jarvis St bike lanes, and voted in favour
of the pro-union deal ending the garbage strike.

The incumbent will be taking on 4 other candidates: Gianfrenco Amendola, Wilson Basantes, Gus Cusimano, Stefano Picone.

Mr Cusimano took the opportunity to answer my questions.  He is a long-standing business owner and has been involved with community organizations.

1. Why are you running to become City Councillor of Ward 4?  

I was asked by the residents of Ward 9 to bring proper representation to the Ward in addressing people’s needs, put a stop to wasteful spending and to put an end to the arrogant attitude of City Hall

2. What makes you stand out among the other candidates?  

I have experience in running and owing a local business for over 30 years.  I also have experience in community organizations having been a past President of Villa Colombo, on the Board of the Italian Canadian Benevolent Corporation as well as several committees of the Toronto Real Estate Board over the years.  I am a graduate of the University of Toronto with a Commerce Degree.  In my career I’ve been an advocate and know how to build consensus between stakeholders.   


3. Councillor Augimeri recently got a "foot in mouth" moment.  Do you think suburbanites are on a 'learning curve' when compared to people downtown?

I think that comment is ridiculous and again, is another example of the arrogance that long serving politicians have at City Hall and hence another reason for change.  No we are just as intelligent as anyone else in the City.  


4. How do you think Augimeri handled the aftermath of the Sunrise Propane explosion in 2008?  Do you believe she followed through effectively with those affected over the past two years?

She divided the community by having a second meeting away from ground zero.  Regardless of who she keeps trying to shift the blame to, the fact is she was the Councillor and I believe had a duty to protect the neighborhood from this hazard.   Obviously she should have done whatever possible to make the site safe.    I understand the people affected have been left to deal with their insurance companies on their own.  Also, I believe that she abused her power by having passed at City Hall a motion to circumvent election laws  purely for self promotion. 

5. Tell me about the biggest challenge of running against a well-established incumbent.  

 

The spending of the incumbent’s office expense budget to self promote herself leaves any new candidate at a huge disadvantage.  In a fair and equal democracy this would not be the case.  They also have access to the prior election voters list to campaign, again in order to be fair any voters list should be made available.

6. What are the greatest issues facing Toronto as a whole?  

 

Wasteful spending is the biggest issue facing Toronto.  

 

Thanks Gus and good luck on October 25th! 

You can find more on Gus Cusimano at http://www.guscusimano.com/#about

  

Debate in Ward 42 coming up

Number of debates slated for Ward 42 candidates

Candidates for Councillor will be duking it out this Wednesday September 15th at Burrow's Hall Community Centre from 6:30-9:30 PM.  Come and watch the candidates take on incumbent Raymond Cho and each other.

Ward 9: Taking on Councillor Augimeri

Coming Monday evening!

Ward 13: Taking on Councillor Saundercook (redux)

Councillor Bill Saundercook has been in City politics since 1985 when he was elected to the Council of the former City of York.  Although he was defeated in the 2000 election, Mr Saundercook successfully won election to the amalgamated city in 2000 taking the seat in Ward 13, Parkdale-Highpark.

Absent any major issues or controversies in Ward 13, the battle in this ward may be an uphill battle against a well-established candidate like Saundercook.  There is however the case of day nurseries being banned in High Park after Councillor Saundercook's request to Council.  Will this moratorium bring out the stroller moms to the polls to kick out the incumbent?

He voted in favour of a raise for 2010, in favour of taxpayers covering Sandra Bussin's legal costs, abstained from the vote on the Jarvis St bike lanes and for the pro-union deal ending the garbage strike in 2009.

Councillor Saundercook will be facing off against four other candidates: Sarah Doucette, Nick Pavlov, Jackelyn Van Altenberg and Redmond Weissenberger.

Mr Weissenberger took the opportunity to answer to my questions.  He is an industrial designer living in Ward 13 with his young family.
 

1.  Why are you running to become City Councillor of Ward 13?

I believe that Toronto, and the residents of Ward 13 deserve better than the council that we have. My initial reason for running was frustration with the delivery of city services and non-responsiveness from the incumbent to the needs of the community.

2.  What makes you stand out among the other candidates?

I am running on a campaign of change. The incumbent, a career civil servant, has been in city politics for 25 years and represents the old guard at City Hall. He has consistently voted in favour of tax increases and in favour of the failed policies resulting in a bloated debt and inefficient city government. Sarah Doucette represents the NDP vote, which in no way is a move in the right direction. I am not affiliated with any political party and am running on the platform of (1) responsiveness; (2) fiscal responsibility; and (3) more value for money from city government.

 

3. Councillor Saundercook has been around for 25 years.  Absent any major controversy why not vote for him in for another four years?

I disagree with the premise of the question: There has been major controversy. After residents suffered through a summer of pain with a garbage strike, they reasonably expected the deal with the unions would have been responsible. Instead, we gave away yet another 6% increase in salaries to the union, and they got to keep their controversial bankable sick days which is unknown in the private sector. 21 city councillors voted for this garbage deal, and 17 voted against it. Saundercook voted in favour of the deal, and he has to take responsibility for it.

Moreover, there is a general perception in the community that change is needed, and a city councillor needs to be elected who actually responds to residents. His website laid dormant for years (until the election, of course), his newsletters were few and far between (until the election), and the message I am getting on the doorsteps in the community is that “Saundercook doesn’t care”. 

4. Do you agree with Councillor Saundercook’s reasoning for the daycare moratorium on High Park Ave?

No, I do not. We need more daycare in this ward, not less. But beyond that, the handling of this issue demonstrates exactly the problem with the city. Staff were looking at this for a year and they couldn’t come up with a recommendation? They need another year to figure out the issue? Why does City Council find that level of service acceptable? Saundercook just shrugs and says “Well, the union employees need more time, too bad for kids in the ward.” This would never be acceptable to me as city councillor. Finally, Saundercook has done nothing whatsoever to address the pressing need for quality daycare in our Ward, and across the city.

  

 

5.  Tell me about the biggest challenge of running against a well-established incumbent.

Incumbents have resources and nothing but time on their hands to campaign, which is a huge advantage. On the other hand, Saundercook in this election has a lot to answer for, and that may well be his biggest challenge.

6.  What are the greatest issues facing Toronto as a whole?

(a) Toronto’s finances are a mess. Its $3 billion debt and $400 million structural deficit, incurred as a result of the type of failed policies advanced by the Saundercook-Miller regime, are crippling the city. We have to get spending under control, and never ending tax increases of the type imposed by Saundercook and supported by the NDP, are not the answer. (b) Toronto is on the right track in so many ways in urban development, but this is in spite of city council, not because of it. Toronto needs intelligent decisions to be made at city hall, as opposed to the usual knee-jerk sign off on anything that has a big price ticket. (3) Toronto needs more value for money in terms of service delivery.

Thanks and good luck on October 25th!

You can find more on Mr Weissenberger at http://www.voteredmond.ca/index.html

Ward 12: Taking on Councillor Di Giorgio (Redux)

Councillor Di Giorgio has been Councillor for Ward 12, York South-Weston, since the post-amalgamaton election in 2000. He's been in City politics since 1985 when he was elected as Councillor in the former City of York.

Ward 12, like Ward 11 faces some transportation issues pertaining to the Eglinton LRT as well as some issues of violence.  TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy) made an appearance in 2009 in the Eglinton-Keele corridor.  Although the program was successful TAVIS has picked up and left for other areas of the City, leaving citizens worried that violence may return.  There is also the question of the rec centre that has been promised for years and has yet to break ground.  Given the breadth of issues in the area, the incumbent holds a low media profile.  25 years in City politics and yet Councillor Di Giorgio rarely gets mentioned in the media other than visits to strip clubs with fellow colleagues.
 

Councillor Di Giorgio voted in favour of a pay raise in 2010, voted in favour of having tax payers cover Sandra Bussin's legal costs, for the Jarvis St bike lanes, and voted in favour of the pro-union deal ending the garbage strike.


Ward 12 is a heated race with seven candidates running against the incumbent: Angelo Bellavia, Nick Dominelli, Vilma Filici, Richard Gosling, Joe Renda, and Steve Tasses.

So far I've received 3 replies, however, so far candidate Steve Tasses is the only to have provided the answers to the questions I sent out.  Mr Tasses is a business owner and former chairman of the Eglinton Hill Business Improvement Area (BIA).

1. Why are you running to become City Councillor of Ward 12?

I am running for City Councillor of Ward 12 because I care about the area. I grew up here and own a business here, “Variety and Video” at the corner of Keele and Eglinton. I am a strong community leader and I founded the Eglinton Hill BIA.

I know the meaning of hard work and I want to work hard for you as your City Councillor.

2. What makes you stand out among the other candidates?

I am passionate about the community. People know me simply as “Steve” the guy from Variety and Video. People who live in the West End know and trust that I can help them in any way that I can.

To have built that trust between constituents and I was not an overnight thing. I had to build and earn that trust and I am definitely taking that with me when I get into City Hall. 

3. Frank Di Giorgio has been around for a long while in city politics. Why is now the time to replace him?

Frank Di Giorgio has lost his drive. He has been in office too long and has lost touch with his constituents. He doesn’t understand what the people and community need in order to thrive in the West End. 

4. Despite his longevity, Councillor Di Giorgio is rather elusive in terms of media coverage? Is that a good or bad thing for Ward 12?

I think that hiding from the media is a bad thing. He is not doing anything “positive” for Ward 12 so why would he want the attention? He is invisible to me, the constituents and the community. Why would you still want someone like that to represent you?

5. Tell me about the biggest challenge of running against a well-established incumbent?

The biggest challenge of running against a well – established incumbent is name recognition. Even though, Mr. Di Giorgio hasn’t done anything positive for the community in years, the name rings a bell to 90% of the constituents. That has been the biggest challenge so far.

It is extremely critical that I can build strong name recognition among the constituents during my campaign. 

6. What are the greatest issues facing Toronto as a whole?

The greatest issues facing Toronto as a whole are lack of leadership and one person running the city is a bad idea.

Toronto is a big and diverse city for one person to run.

Furthermore, our public transit is outdated. 

 Thanks and good luck on October 25th!

You can find Steve Tasses at http://www.stevetasses.ca/

Nick Dominelli got back to me with some of his answers.

1. Why are you running to become City Councillor of Ward 12?

There are three main reasons that I am running for City Councillor:

1.     To reunite our community - Having grown up in Ward 12, I remember when it was a great place to grow up and live in, and I want to make it great once again. I want to represent our ‘community’, which not just a ‘ward’. Our community, this community, is about neighbours and neighbourhoods working together, undivided, to renew our neglected ward and make it a better place for all of our residents. Together, united, we are stronger and it will let our voice be heard.

2.     To protect our residents’ best interest – We are forcing seniors out of their homes. Those at City Hall need to understand that seniors are on fixed pensions that increase by mere pennies a year, but their property taxes keep going up. Our seniors are paying high taxes that they simply cannot afford, and our small business owners have also been burdened with an unfair tax system. In fact, all of our residents could benefit from fairly distributed tax dollars, which could be used to improve our entire community. I want to help the people in our community. I want to work on beatifying our green-spaces and parks, enhance our existing community centres while making sure that the new community centre gets built on time. I want to work on revitalizing our neighbourhood with an effective and efficient transit expansion plan, and create jobs through the proper development of the under-utilized industrial lands in our ward. I want to make a difference.

3.     To ensure that Toronto exists beyond the downtown core - Our community’s needs are as important as any other ward in this City, and it’s time that we had someone that fought for what we deserve. Our community pays their fair share of taxes, but City Hall hasn’t provided us with our fair share of the available programs and services. City Hall has primarily focused on improving the downtown core, and has neglected it’s suburban wards. It’s time this community got what it deserves from City Hall, and I will champion the needs of our Ward. It’s time for change. 

2. What makes you stand out among the other candidates?

I am the only candidate in this ward that has over twenty years of combined municipal and private sector experience. For over a decade, I worked for three different City Councillors and the City of Toronto Economic Development Office. I understand the importance of building relationships with other levels of government, and senior bureaucrats in the City. My experience at City Hall, coupled with the ten years of private sector experience gives me the business acumen to understand the need to balance and properly manage budgets. This combination separates me from the other candidates for the job. Most importantly, I have the fullest understanding of the challenges facing our community, and the track record of building consensus while successfully navigating the government landscape.   

3. Frank Di Giorgio has been around for a long while in city politics. Why is now the time to replace him?

Our community has been on the decline over the past 10 years since Frank Di Giorgio has been at the helm. Services have been cut, crime has increased, jobs have been lost, but our taxes keep going up. This community is in need of a new Councillor with vision, passion and the ability to affect positive change. When compared to other wards in the City, our community has seen more than it's share of cuts in services and spending. Now is the time for strong leadership. We need someone that can ensure that our ward gets our fair share of the services and programs that other communities take for granted.  I am the only qualified candidate who can impact positive change.  We cannot allow our ward to decline for another fours years. It’s time for change. 

4. Despite his longevity, Councillor Di Giorgio is rather elusive in terms of media coverage. Is that a good or bad thing for Ward 12?

Councillor Di Giorgio has been eluding the media, but the real problem is that Frank hasn’t done the work necessary to highlight our ward or affect positive change. The overall lack of media coverage is absolutely a bad thing for our ward, because it’s an indicator of the lack of direction and leadership being provided by our current representative. Frank hasn’t produced anything notable for our ward, nor has he introduced any policies or plans that would help improve our City. 

5. Tell me about the biggest challenge of running against a well-established incumbent.

The system that we have in place creates an uneven playing field for challengers.  Incumbents can reach more voters in a traditional sense, because they use their City Hall office and staff budgets for campaign purposes. They also have there voter lists in place, ties to the community leaders through their jobs, and already have many of the expensive existing campaign material , like signage, already purchased. Challengers need to be creative and resourceful in order to counter any advantages that the incumbent may have.  This creativity and resourcefulness that will enable me to get elected, will also be a part of the qualities that allow me to change the direction of our community. 

6. What are the greatest issues facing Toronto as a whole?

Firstly, City Hall needs to understand that rising budgets are our biggest threat. These increases are not just an indication of rising costs or wasteful spending, but also indicative of a flawed process. I’m not suggesting that we should not be spending money, but rather, we need to implement smarter planning and smarter spending. Once we have achieved a more efficient system, we can start increasing services and addressing the obstacles facing the City of Toronto as a whole. Secondly, City Hall needs to address the needs that affect us all. We need to look at transit as a part of an overall and effective transportation plan, create jobs and provide economic revitalization, as well as become a leader in green city initiatives. Ultimately, it’s time we become a government that is proactive instead of reactive. It’s time we stop talking about being a world class city, and instead create the foundation needed to make this a reality. We need to embrace new ideas instead of continuing to do the same old policies that haven't worked for Toronto in the past. It’s time for change.

Thanks and good luck on October 25!

Joe Renda didn't answer the questions but asked that you visit his site to get a glimpse into his policies.  You can find him at http://joerendaforcitycouncillorward12.blogspot.com/ 

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