All taxes, all the time

Two mayoral candidates recently issued dueling policy plans, each aimed at lowering taxes. Former mayor Larry Di Ianni says he wants to freeze property taxes for at least two years while the city examines its services to see where it can cut back. Mayor Fred Eisenberger is proposing a gradual cutback to a zero per cent increase over three years. What do you think?

Comments

[Long Time Frustrated Resident]

Our taxes are too high, so much so that we have difficulty attracting new businesses, and existing ones move away. Reducing poverty is such a motherhood concept --- mostly out of the boundary of what a municipal government can do --- reduction of poverty is mostly a federal and provincial responsibility. City governments should focus on quality of life elements they can control - maintaining streets, garbage removal, snow removal, parks, transit & urban planning. The city has been downright terrible managing our money in these areas and is bloated. Time to freeze/lower taxes, clean up the deadwood in the city, contract out as a last resort & spend smart not more. It takes political will, and a city manager who knows how to run a public organization efficiently and effectively (see Winnipeg, Mississauga as places where there have been few tax increases in years).

[serenity]

Agreed. Eisenberger must go. DiIani had his chance, too. Real topics: tax reduction - for everyone, cleaning up the City so people will want to come here, reducing wasteful spending within the City, bringing in business. New blood is needed, but someone who will actually listen to the people and move on their advice. We need honesty and positive creativity. Anyone like that out there?

[nanciem]

Please ...don't be naive. There is more to being a municipal representative than what you percieve. Taxes have been kept to a lower rate of increase in the past two years. There have been mre new jobs in the past four years even though the steel industry is dying. Make sensible choices!

[Ed2]

As stated many times before, I gave up voting in the early eighties. It has never failed me to produce a Leader or Party that should brag; "Our mis-truth is munch better than their mis-truth. So vote for us."

The Sponsorship Scandal was later bettered by $1.3 billon of our tax dollars in an eHealth Scandal. Anyone held accountable?

Pickering Nuclear refurbishment cost 30 times the original estimate. I truly believe wheelbarrows full of money left that site in Mulroney Style, and no one, not a single comment came from Atomic Energy aboout how they missed an estimate of $640 million and the final tally was $19.3 billion and is conveniently listed as Debt Reduction payment on power bills. I see shades of Enron in creative billing and accountability. Mind you, there is no power-failure in their boardroom salaries, bonuses, pensiuon plans, stock options. "Yesiree Bob, they took care of thy self or selves first."

And the way pensioners and Veterans are treated is completely deplorable.

So again, I'll watch the sideshow and polished performances and I believe the next scandal will top $60 billion.

Politicians can stop this by disapproving Operating Licenses or Permits but don't. Then again, we just have to look at the performance of Mulroney and you get the gist of my disgust.

[ed]

I to have had first hand experience with the bulging amount of chiefs compared to indians down at cityhall, hey they take care of their friends, but theres no room for a tax freeze. Millions available for west harbour development but no room for a tax freeze, I guess that somehow benefits the needy. Money for new committees and economic development thingamajigs, again no room for a tax freeze, maybe that takes care of some of their needy friends.

[Trevor]

I agree the dead wood at the city needs to go. While waiting to be served last Thursday, I could see a staff telephone list on a desk. If I assume that titles like director, manager, supervisor, and coordinator translate to management jobs, over half of the staff were management. Meanwhile there's one girl at the counter, trying to serve everybody. I can tell you where the dead wood is.

[john slomka]

I HEARD THAT IN THE LAST ELECTION ONLY 10 BALLOTS WERE CAST AT BOTH McMASTER UNIVERITY AND MOHAWK COLLEGE...THATS REALLY PATHETIC!!THEY CALL THAT HIGHER EDUCATION...I CALL THAT PURE IGNORANCE AND TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS...THERE MUST BE 20000 ELIGABLE VOTERS THERE,ENOUGH TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE AND ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL ELECTIONS YET PEOPLE JUST DONT GET IT ,,,, THAT REALLY IS SHAMEFUL!

[john slomka]

THIS CITY MUST FREEZE TAXES , KEEP SERVICES ,REDUCE POVERTY ,CLEAN UP THE BROWNFIELDS AND EXPAND GREEN SPACE ,ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS WITH INCENTIVES AND MOSTLY GET RID OF THE DEAD WOOD THAT PLAGUE OUR SERVICES. POLITICIANS MUST BE HELD TO ACCOUNT....THEY CANNOT KEEP RUNNING THIS CITY WITH A DEFICIT....ON ELECTION DAY I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY SITTING POLITICIANS ,PERIOD!THEY BLEW THEIR CHANCE...OUT WITH THE OLD REGIME AND THEIR BIDDIES!

[Steve]

Best way to cut or even roll back taxes is to cut the riduculous salaries and pension benefits to the city staff. Almost 80% of the rise in property taxes each year goes to fullfilling contract obligations. I would pull a Ronald Reagan and state that if they don't like it( the employees) they will be fired and then rehired at a significantly lower wage.

[kevv]

just remember mcstinky
(no new taxes)
then remember fred and larry when you vote.
our taxes went up when the assested value was released so the council can lie and say we didnt raise any taxes,but your house is now worth more sorry nothing we can do.

[Dave Lane]

I think that the candidates will say anything to get elected,
unfortunately most candidates forget thier campaign promises as soon as they make them.
Dave

[Baldy]

This city has one of the largest tax burdens in the country. There is too much dead weight in all city departments and there can only be a lowering of taxes if a lot of this dead wood is culled without removing services, which in Hamilton is entirely possible.
I do recall after the last election seeing Larry Di Ianni showing up at his job at Brock U in the mayoral limousine, total waste of taxpayers dollars. If the man has any inclination of serving the taxpayers of this community by reducing the tax burden then he should look in the mirror first.

[Ed O'Hara]

Taxes will need to be lowered, and not just frozen.

Where does most of the $1.3 billion dollars go?

Too many city employees are paid too much for what they do. For example, if you take a closer look at th books, and you'll find hundreds of employees who are janitors and cleaners who make way more than teachers. Does that make sense? Where is the logic?

Municipal Government typically lacks the balls to fight labour unions.

[ed]

Given we know that the vast number of politicians are pathological liers and opportunists that will say and do anything to either protect their own skin or get voted back in. I always wondered, is it easy for them to turn it off when they go home to friends and family? Are they the same snakes at the dinner table as they are in their offices? And people like Rob Rossini, who one day has all kinds of money to hand out to those family and friendly business people, but seemingly has his hands tied by backroom bean counting bankers who say theres no money to lower taxes for the people. Notice to Mr Rossini, services have been being cut for 10 yrs..Hello!!!
Stay tuned folks, this week is no tax increase week, next week will be about plans to erraticate poverty. Its all just politicians doing what they do at election time...LIE!!! As with Ginky, all is forgotten after the election, man! nice people we vote in.
I vote for the dog!!!!

[Steve Sheen]

I think any tax break right now would be welcome,doesn't matter who initiates it just as long as it's done.

[Old Fart]

Any mill rate change that is LESS than the rate of inflation is a harbinger of trouble to come. Any change that is MORE than the rate of inflation should be looked at very closely.