By John Moorhouse Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The race for mayor in Penticton just heated up. Coun. Dan Ashton announced Monday he will be seeking the mayor’s chair in the Nov. 15 municipal election, challenging incumbent Mayor Jake Kimberley. Benjamin Wolfe of Kaleden is also in the running. Ashton pointed to his 10-and-a-half years experience on council, noting he has shown he is "very accountable, fiscally responsible and utilizes a lot of common sense." He said, with due respect to Kimberley, there is "a bit of a need for change" in the mayor’s office and suggested city services, costs and taxation will be a key election issue. Ashton noted the current economic slump hasn’t missed Penticton which has suffered from a number of manufacturing plant and other business closures in recent months. "There’s a lot of very good people that work at the City of Penticton, but we all have to be cognizant that times are changing," he said. "We’re all riding that big wave Ð and the tide is going out." Ashton said he is not suggesting reductions to city staff and services, but feels council should look closely at how it provides that service. "What I’m looking at is to make sure we operate as efficiently as possible." he said. Ashton noted some very significant developments in Penticton have been shelved in recent months, which could have a significant impact on city finances down the road. "It’s incumbent on council to start thinking about the ramifications of those things not going ahead," he said. A slower growth rate could also impact the proposed expansions of the city’s water and sewer treatment plants, he said. "I don’t saying they’re not required," he said. "But the numbers have all changed very quickly. We have to be cognizant of the capacity for people to pay for those upgrades."
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