Good news, Regina: everyone wants to fix your street and shovel your snow. This is the common theme that emerged at the Italian Club last night, after more than a dozen council hopefuls outlined their platforms.Beyond the chorus about potholes, the most innovative idea belonged to Ward 3 candidate and city equipment operator Chad Moats, who promised to help his neighbourhood’s businesses by creating a wireless hotspot zone on 13th Ave. Moats is running  on the Coalition for a Citizen-Friendly Regina slate.

 His main opponent, incumbent Fred “Regina’s on a Roll” Clipsham, described his past record as a fiery base tax critic and defender of public libraries. “I was the one on Council who took (the library fight) on. I was the one who worked with the Friends of the Library,” Clipsham said.

Clipsham stands by his library record.
Photo by Don Jedlic - Oktober Revolution.

Ward 7 candidate Shelley Johnson also stood out from the crowd, being the evening’s lone female voice. Johnson, a mother of three and grandmother of four, described a neighbhourhood where poverty, substandard housing and lack of play areas leave “children playing in the streets with sticks and stones.”

 And this is not North Central,” she reminded the audience, saying decay in the core area is gradually spreading outwards. Johnson, a CCFR candidate, called for a more participatory city budget process, where the voices of aboriginal people and youths are included.

 Lawyer and ex-infantryman Louis Browne tried to pump up a largely unresponsive crowd with a cheer for the Rolling Stones. “We’re finally on the map,” the Ward 1 candidate crowed, alluding to a mysterious map rumoured to plot the course of 1970s-style stadium rockers are they lumber across North America, spewing fossil fuels.

 Browne and his fellow Ward 1 candidates won the ‘best turnout’ award, taking up five chairs at the head table. But his opponents were significantly less impressed with the city’s current direction, and not because they would rather see a Led Zepplin revival. “What I would like to see is sustainable development that takes into account all parts of the city,” said the CCFR’s Asfaw Debia.  

 University of Regina student Michael Tompkins said he’d like to see a Regina where cheap, low-quality jobs aren’t the only thing on offer. “Our business sector is being Americanized, and it’s destroying our downtown core,” he said, describing the proliferation of big box stores.

 This stance might disturb Ward 2 candidate Dave Brundidge, who said he’d like to fix the streets so he can shop at WalMart. “If you don’t have good streets, it’s difficult to go to the Southland Mall and buy things at WalMart,” he said, hastily adding that his wife didn’t like him shopping there.

 By the end of a long night, the streets had everyone’s vote, but there were disagreements about how to fill the potholes. Several candidates said they would seek to put other levels of government on the business end of the shovel. “There is very little appetite in Ward 7 for higher property taxes,” said Danny Berehula, executive director of the Better Business Bureau and one of Johnson’s opponents for the Ward 7 seat.

 The CCFR slate stayed on message with their call for a more balanced tax system to support infrastructure maintenance. They noted that cuts to the business tax cuts and below-inflation property tax increases have led to the biggest pothole of them all – Regina’s growing infrastructure deficit.

 But “value for tax dollars” wasn’t excluded from their picture. Asked if private or public services were better for Regina, candidate Chad Moats said he would ensure all services were subjected to an impartial cost-benefit analysis. As the largely union audience shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, Moats added that in an objective study, public services would come out on top. He compared the quick, efficient work city crews did on 9^th Ave. North, compared to the summer-long privately-contracted 15^th Ave. repairs, which he described as over-budget, slow and shoddy work.

 “The fact is, public services provide better value for all of us,” he concluded, to a relieved burst of applause from the audience.

 The forum was organized by Regina Civic Coalition. “The purpose is to bring the union vote back to civic politics,” said event organizer Tim Anderson, who noted there are 35,000 union members in Regina.

Comments

Library record? Written by Guest on 2006-10-11 16:52:47 Is anyone going to comment on Mr Clipsham's library record? Confirm or deny? History, please.

Written by Guest on 2006-10-12 09:18:48 I thought, he was quiet until he was shamed into speaking out on it.  It was the first time, he lost his way and then it just kept getting worse. Regina may be on a roll but the CCFR will make it a juggernaut.  What is with the Louis Browne guy ? Is he for real ?

Written by Guest on 2006-10-13 08:28:38 A hot spot is an awesome idea. 13th Ave. would be the place to be and hang out. What a great idea and no one elese is backing this and no press coverage of it ?  Even Sam Katz, the very socialist mayor of Winnipeg, thinks it is a good idea.  I'm voting for this guy

Written by Guest on 2006-10-18 10:02:49 Good old "I want everything for free" mentality is still alive and well. A hot spot? - who pays for that? - certainly not the latte sipping, from out of town students that wave the "we are the people" flag - free free free! A participitory buget process where the, once again - non tax paying people are consulted? - free free free! Dont like the Stones and the huge economic benefit that they brought to Regina? - funny how many old hippies and dope smoking former activists were present in the audience, and nothing was free there. Cheap low quality jobs? - well people, get used to it - nobody wants to be in the downtown sector except used record stores, head shops and coffee houses - I want to be able to park my "fossil fuel spewing" car, where its safe and I don't have to worry about an inner city "taxpayer" helping him or herself to the contents of it. Big box stores? - well - sorry to say folks, but Norman Rockwell is dead and gone and the world isn't going to regress so that you may be able to sit on your front porch and wave to the Johnsons as they walk by on their way downtown to shop at all the wonderfull retail outlets. Lets have a taxation system based upon usage of city resources and services - I pay $320. per month, but dont have the cops on my street 5 times a day answering real and false alarms, dont have the crumbling infrastructure that needs constant repairing and am not in the habit of burning down my neighbours house just for giggles - I am not my brothers keeper - let him pay his own fair share - I dont ask for anything free, nor do I think that is a reality - somehow that seems to have escaped the majority in here that is looking for a no cost ride.

CACA Debate Written by Guest on 2006-10-20 00:26:05 Any reports on the CACA debate tonight ?  I heard one candidate stood out.

The Guest Written by spyralstairs on 2006-10-22 22:24:12 Hi Guest, okay, so let me get this straight...    you don't like:  students  old hippies  inner city residents  Norman Rockwell  the Johnsons  your brother    but seriously, you seem like you have a real 'joie de vivre!' -     oh, wait, maybe you don't like the French either.    Anyway,love your attitude, and hope you get over your crippling fear of people breaking into your car when it leaves suburbia. For the record, my vehicle never gets broken into.    And by the way, if infrastructure is crumbling in one area, it might have something to do with money being invested in new infrastructure in suburbia instead.

hey guest Written by hugo chavez on 2006-10-23 09:28:39 It cost more to pick up your garbage, it costs more to clean your streets, it costs more to clear your snow.  It costs more to service suburbs.  Why? Think transport alone, time to travel, etc.  So, I agree you should pay your fair share for services.  By the way $350/month for all you get is a bargain. If it was provided privately, you would pay twice that at least.

The Guest responds Written by Guest on 2006-10-23 09:35:46 Some correct - some not quite - Students - hmm somewhat on the fence here, funny how the anarchist attitude of so many of them does a 180 as soon as the high 5 figure job comes around after leaving the University, unless creative journalism or the studies of pre-cambrien cultures are your majors. Old hippies are cool - didnt say they wern't - we all have to be able to buy a good supply from somewhere. Inner city residents - only if they are from - "outta" city. Norman Rockwell was cool. as were his observations on daily life (in America) but Family Circus was as well, in its day until most of us realized that the world did in fact change and cuteness no longer worked the way it once did. The Johnsons have always been a thorn in my side - always just a little better than those annoying Jones'es. My brother? - wants everything to be like it used to be - just cant accept the fact that things have changed and like it or not, things just cost more. The French? - its like they have a different word for everything except, crepe, soufflle and vis a vie just for examples. Maybe your car doesnt get broken into fot the same reasons that not every boy or girl gets asked out to the dance, or kissed under the mistletoe.And finally, in regards to the inner city infrastructure - you can pour all the Chanel #5 on top of a porcine animal - but its still a pig.  Seriously - I really enjoy the responses to my rants - if it gets the blood flowing, it shows that there is still some life out there.  It really is a small world - but I would hate to have to paint it

Hugo Written by Guest on 2006-10-23 16:04:17 So what you are telling me is the reason that my taxes are fair and more expensive than those living in the "core" areas is because it costs more for gas money and wages to travel those distances to service my area? Ya - thats it - I pay up to three times the monthly bill of my "neighbour" living west of the Lewvan in the CPR Annex because of distance (its Regina folks - we are a short drive from A to B), have (last year) one visit by snow removal and whatever other services that we recieve? -- oops! - no back lane maintenance here, no automated garbage pickup - please - give me the opportunity to have the choice of private enterprise look after some of these services - according to your logic, we should all be standing in line for everything from soup to nuts handed out at the local party store of government issuance because private stores and services are twice the cost? Get real Hugo, private enterprise has always scared the government because they know that it can be handled in a more efficent manner and thats why they keep such a tight rein on these services. To quote Mel Brooks (as a govt employee) "We have to protect our phony baloney jobs gentlemen"

OK Written by hugo chavez on 2006-10-23 16:35:29 Ok, that made sense. Try researching it, the further from the center the greater the cost to provide you services. Now the fact that you don't recieve services equal to your taxes or you percieve to be such. It isn't a group that wants to change city hall or the employees, it is the direction recieved from the executive.  The funniest part is people bitch about taxes and in the same breath services. You can't have one with out the other.  On contracting out or private services, research again. Private enterproses always charge more and pay less. It's just a fact to be successful.   Check it out but you won't. You'll just live life in your little peanut brain because its easier that way.

Written by Guest on 2006-10-24 11:51:40 I dont have to check it out - my little "peanut" brain tells me that it wasnt I who complained about taxes and services in the same breath - it was you who said that what I was paying was fair for the service I recieve - that what I said was the fact of my neighbours and myself paying up to three times the cost and not recieving the same level of civic attention that you in the core expect. I have no problem in playing on a level field - just make sure that the rules are the same for both teams. Private enterprise does not charge more - they couldnt stay in business if they tried to justify to their customer that they need 8 guys on a jobsite to dig 1 hole or sweep up after an oil spill of 2 litres - how many times daily do you see a city 1/2 ton idling away on the side of the street with a supervisor sitting inside watching his crew? - its time to be part of the solution - you wont find a, as highly paid, unionized, full pensioned, paid for their own tools contractor or worker as exists in the civic sector for the greater matter - it just doesnt happen the way you try to explain it off. And, by the way - I would like you to explain the logic in paying a summer employee more than $16.00 per hour to ride around on a quad and cut the grass in a park .  p.s. - you may notice - I didnt have to resort to name calling to speak to you - I wont lower myself to your level - talk to me as a person and your views will be read as an adult, not a petulant child.

READ Written by hugo chavez on 2006-10-24 12:48:48 It's good for you.

Written by Guest on 2006-10-24 13:30:12 It's good for you. - Huh? - sorry, my peanut brain must have slipped a bit - not sure what your witty repartee was meant to say.  Maybe you will understand the raving of my 12 yr old neice - W.E. -   What everrrr!

Written by Guest on 2006-10-24 14:31:51 Pretty easy to fiqure out people, the burbs are subsidizing the inner city because of ability to pay. We will not have fair taxes and every service you can imagine without having more taxpayers. Note I said taxpayers, more people don't count if you are looking for tax relief. I choose to live in the burbs and realize I will be paying more than my share of taxes. If the crime is not addressed in Regina we will continue to expand outwards creating the donut effect Lots of problems but bitchin won't solve them, we need to make our city buisness freindly, believe me, jobs will come followed by tax relief.

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