HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-04-17, Page 44 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, April 17, 2013
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editorial
Sad state of affairs
IVIost Ontario residents are
against it proposal that
would sec tolls or new tuxes
rolled Out t0 help pay for the province's
transportation infrastructure.
But despite what residents think,
tolls and new taxes might be just the
ticket to get some of our highways,
roads and bridges hack on track. Sadly,
it might not happen otherwise.
'the idea is being floated by Premier
Kathleen Wynn', who says new "reve-
nue tools" are needed to pay for transit
improvements in the Greater Toronto
Area. But Wynne also suggests those
same "revenue tools" might be needed
for roads and bridges in the rest of
Ontario. What she really means to say
is that Ontario is broke and can't afford
to take care of one of the government's
core responsibilities -- roads and
bridges.
'the issue should be of some impor-
tance in Sarnia-Lambton, which faces
its Own municipal infrastructure
challenges.
Both the City of Sarnia and County
of Lambton have done a good job in
rt'Cetlt years addressing local infra-
structure needs. But With the province
downloading more and More to the
local level, at some point tht' munici-
pal coffers are bound to dry up.
As always, it comes (sown to spend-
ing priorities and objectives, and
whether of not a tax increase would
be acceptable to ratepayers. And tax
increases rarely are.
'plat position is reflected in a Forum
Research Inc. poll, conducted last
week, that asked Ontarians what they
thought about Wynne's suggestion. To
nobody's surprise, 479 of the
respondents were opposed to the idea
of tolls and new taxes for transporta-
tion infrastructure, while 39% said
they'd support it.
But the bottom line is that the
Ontario government is starved for
cash and is desperate to find new
sources of money. After years of frit-
tering away public cash and creating
an unsustainable public debt, Wyn-
ne's liberals are left with few options
but to seek new "revenue tools:'
It's a sorry state of affairs. indeed,
the condition of Ontario's roads and
bridges has become a metaphor for a
government that is, incredibly, unable
to meet its obligations.
And given this government's track
record, it's doubtful those obligations
would be met even if tolls and new
taxes are legislated.
Peter Epp,
QMI Agency
letters to the editor
Same old...same old
I read the 1.ttkeshole Advatn'e' article "Staff
rows the boat, consultant tells 1.a111htoit Shores
council" (April 10th) with interest and wonder
why 1.amhton Shores (us) would pay $3,000 for
a consultant to help them go in the right direc-
tion and then not listen to him.
1 attended the April 11th regular I.ttinhton
Shores nteeting.'1he continued lack of under-
standing or not reading the agenda done
councilor, the constant grandstanding and of
another and the irritating opinions, not follow-
ing the procedures or code of conduct again
and again, interruptions and not following
Section 7.4 in their procedural by-law to pre-
vent the inordinate amount of discussion on
each and every topic in the agenda...an(1 how
about the bullying from that table- when will
that stop?
I have to wonder why this council bothered
spending half a day with a consultant who
actually knows what he is talking about. This is
year three and it just never seems to get any
better. As taxpayers, we should wonder why we
are going to he paying for an Integrity Com-
mission- when these council members will
probably dismiss what he/she has to say. Per-
haps this council should stop spending our
money to band-aid the issues they have
caused.
Shirley Andraza
Give communities power
During the Ontario Liberal leadership
campaign, Kathleen Wynne promised to give
municipalities across Ontario more say when
it comes to wind farms, atter the Green
Energy Act of 2009 took that power com-
pletely away.
On March 26, I luron-Bruce M PP Lisa
'Ihontpson introduced a private member's
hill called Ensuring Affordable Energy Act,
which would give democracy hack to munic-
ipalities like ours.
Whether or not you believe wind turbines
are the right answer to Ontario's future
energy needs, there are communities that are
willing hosts and communities that are not.
'there is much anticipation that on April
111, both i.iberal and NI)P members will sup-
port a return to democracy in Ontario's rural
areas by supporting this hill. With the politi-
cal climate at Queen's Park, if these two par-
ties do not support this hill, then a spring
election would he more than welcome.
This is not about whether Ontario should
support green energy; it's about having
something very important and fundamental
to Canadians restored and maintained
democracy.
Mayor Kevin Marriott,
Township of Enniskillen
Showing disregard
'Ihe latest round of hype in the ongoing
wind turbine saga has only proved to show
Stlncor's disregard for citizens of Plympton-
Wyonting and elsewhere.
Local leaders have been bamboozled: the
original mandate was 'no wind turbines in
our area.' Now it's a "set -back" issue, which
must mean that wind turbines are OK, if they
are a couple of kilometres away. Meanwhile,
the Suncor wind turbine promoters are rub-
bing their hands together, optimistic about
their strategies and seeing victory in the
forecast.
As for some farmers, they're selling their
autonomy, which is the only reason to own
property in the first place. And what for?
Filthy lucre!
And the 99.9% that make up others living
in the area have been sold out by politicians
and the greedy. Any energy to he gained will
be sold elsewhere for big bucks, none of
which will benefit anyone here and yes, our
energy hills will skyrocket even more.
Jim Gryner,
Plynlpton-Wyoming
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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