We will build it whether you like it or not, Your own choice is whether that will be Cash or Mortgage !

REPOSTING OF A JUNE 26 RANT !
Yesterday at Council it was confirmed that the City will proceed with a 25 year up to $20,000,000 borrowing Bylaw #5080. This borrowing bylaw will proceed unless 10% of eligible voters or 2777 people sign their names to a counter petition between July 15th and Aug 15th 2007. The vote to proceed was 6-1 with only Coun. Beardsell voting against. His preference appeared to be going directly to a referendum.

If this happens and 2777 people petition against this bylaw it will be dead as a method of paying for the new Library/Civic building complex UNLESS it goes to referendum. However the majority of Council stated that they were committed to this building and if the counter petition succeeded and long term financing was dead that they would simply proceed to build the complex using other funding sources. There appear to be at least two members of council who will support going to referendum to resurrect the long term financing option if the counter petition is successful.

Other funding option sources include taxation over four years, revenue anticipation borrowing, dipping into reserves, or selling assets (land). None of these methods need approval of the electors but carry a political risk to the politician who uses them.

Long term financing is the preferred option if one agrees that this particular complex should be built. BUT this financing option obtained by a coercive strategy of saying 'play my game or I'm taking my ball home, and by the way you have to pay for it irregardless' is reprehensible.

This council has had this proposal in the form shown to the public at the two meetings to date under discussion since at least Jan of 2007. The handout to the public was produced by Architects in support of a MRIF grant application whose deadline was Jan 15. (announcements of successful applicants slated for mid July of 2007). To use the argument that a referendum would take up to much time and hinder grant applications that we want to make sounds ridiculous when you realize that this should have been up for open public debate 6 months ago.

I personally would rather see the taxpayers 9 million (that the Library holds in Trust) put towards a new building at the Recreation Centre that would house the library. I do not resent the counter petition opportunity although I would prefer a direct referendum but I do resent the implied implication that if successful it will not go to referendum and I will pay for it it a much less preferred method.

Therefore, I will sign the counter petition and call the Council's bluff. Hopefully if it comes down to a vote on going to referendum then enough councillors will see the wisdom of listening to the public input that they all claim to embrace.

Remember 2777 people represent 28.8% of the 9641 who actually voted in the last municipal election in Nov. of 2005 and this number of persons objecting in the hot summer months if obtained is a number that must be respected by Council. (Our Mayor only received 2984 votes)

Enough of this flowery bullshit, bring on the counter petition windmill.