Monday, August 30, 2010

Rossi and Recall...Pandering for votes

So Rocco Rossi's new idea to get votes is to tap into the palpable voter anger and frustration by championing the the concept of recall...whereby voters can fire the Mayor or any Councillor through a petition and trigger an election.

Somehow I expected more from this guy.

Guess what Rocco...we already have recall...it's called an election. If you don't like your chosen representative...DON'T RE-ELECT THEM!

I am pleased to see that the other candidates for Mayor are not supporting this idea - they have resisted the idea to pander for votes...because recall is not good policy. Why? Let me offer my thoughts...

Recall stifles leadership. Who will take a bold position and advance a vision for the city if they fear the constant threat of recall by special interests? We want leadership yet we would cut them off at the knees. The social policies that make Canada so progressive are some of the very things that would have come under fire and perhaps have never been proposed if the threat of recall were available.

Recall will result in more campaigning and constant pandering for votes rather than getting work done.

Recall means more politics not less.

Recall invariably means more elections...DO WE REALLY NEED MORE ELECTIONS?

No Rocco...I think the current system works just fine.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Reform Municipal Election Financing! - SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Municipal elections are interesting beasts. Most who are active in these contests would admit that they are much more challenging than a Provincial or Federal Campaign for many reasons.

One of the key challenges is raising the necessary funds to put forth a real campaign.
Campaigns need signs, literature, a website, office space etc and all of these add up to some significant dollars. The average spending limit for a candidate for city council is between $25,000-$40,000.

In the majority of jurisdictions in Ontario, there is no contribution rebate program, thus effectively killing individual contributions and forcing candidates to rely on corporations. Let's face reality here...people like to get something for their donation.

Contrast this with provincial or federal campaigns where there is a generous rebate plan (75% rebated as a tax credit on the first $400) which encourages donations from individuals vs. corporations.

Municipal campaigns really are the poor cousins or the election family.  The interesting fact is that municipalities can and should correct this.

In the 2009 Vaughan Task Force Report on Democratic Renewal, the issue of election financing was identified as a significant challenge that negatively affected voter turnout.
To remedy the situation Council passed a by-law to adopt a rebate program like their neighbours to the south in Toronto. (75% rebate on the first $400). The Vaughan Task Force report noted that in Toronto in 2003 individual donations accounted for 68% of the total raised vs. only 20% in Vaughan who in 2003 did not have a rebate program.
The hope in Vaughan is that by adopting a rebate program, citizens will be more engaged, and have more ownership of the process. Also this will encourage individuals to donate knowing that they will receive a rebate for supporting the process.

So why are other jurisdictions not adopting this rebate plan? Why do they not realize that individuals supporting campaigns is preferable to corporations? Is it that the elected officials are addicted to the corporate support they enjoy as incumbents? (The corporate community can change its mind quickly...so incumbents beware!).

Candidates for city council may avoid the issue of election financing reform. It's too bad really...financing reform would give power back to the people, to the individuals in our community rather than corporate interests...

So Power to the People I say! Give the people who elect councillors and Mayors an incentive to help fund democracy...and take some ownership in their municipality.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

You get what you deserve...

Toronto voters seem to like Rob Ford. They like his message, and they like his good ol boy style. He "connects"   with them.
Interesting.
Is that enough to be Mayor? Because Rob Ford has a popular message, does that equip him to govern Toronto City Council and build Toronto into a great world class city?
I think not.
Rob Ford serves a purpose as the conscience of City Council...he ensures that wasteful spending is highlighted and those that do it are ridiculed. An important role but not one that qualifies you to be Mayor.
Toronto deserves more. With it's decaying infrastructure, insufficient transit system, and diverse challenges,  the city needs a Mayor that will provide real solutions and a plan...a vision for the future on how to build a great city, ideas on how Toronto can continue to serve it's citizens...in short, how he/she can make things better.
Toronto deserves that.
So Toronto, wake up...summer was nice and to think of these things at the dock of your cottage or on a patio seemed "unseasonal". Well, its "back to school" time now...so study up...ask questions and get informed...maybe even get involved. Your city deserves your attention.
Whomever Toronto votes in to be Mayor, you will get who you deserve.