Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Responsible budgeting to benefit all of our seniors.
In November of 2005, the issue of a .5% city income tax increase was placed on the ballot. I felt then (and still do) that the increase was justified. At the time, the wording of the issue included programs that the money would be used for. A hand-out was also circulated showing how the finance committee supposed the money would be distributed. A certain percentage was promised for "senior services" both in the wording of the ballot initiative and on the hand-out.
On October 26 of that year, I attended a public meeting where I inquired about this particular aspect of the proposal. I wanted to know how the senior services funds would be distributed. Would it be spent on renovating the senior center at the Roosevelt building? Would it be spent on flu shots? Meals-on-Wheels? Home energy assistance grants for the elderly?
No. In stead, the entire portion of the income tax increase earmarked for "senior services" would be added to the money already given to Toronto's two senior citizen social clubs.
After the levy passed, I again approached council to ask if it was possible to reconsider that determination. Perhaps - I suggested - the money could be placed in escrow and used at the end of the five-year term of the tax increase on something more permanent and beneficial to all of Toronto's seniors.
No, I was told, since all seniors are eligible to join these organizations, they felt that this technically satisfied the spirit of the levy. I was also told that the council would not lie to the citizens of Toronto. Which, by the way, I found a particularly odd thing to say since I had not asked council to lie at all. In fact, all that I was asking was that they consider other options that might also benefit those seniors who are not members of a club. Seniors who are - say - infirm or busy or who might otherwise be disenfranchised by a decision to gift their share of the city's money to clubs they do not choose to join for whatever reason. Besides, I was not asking that none of the money be used to support the social clubs; just that some also be used to benefit Toronto's seniors who were not club members.
As councilman, I would consider options that would benefit all of our parents and grandparents; a precedent I hope our children and grandchildren will follow as well.
On October 26 of that year, I attended a public meeting where I inquired about this particular aspect of the proposal. I wanted to know how the senior services funds would be distributed. Would it be spent on renovating the senior center at the Roosevelt building? Would it be spent on flu shots? Meals-on-Wheels? Home energy assistance grants for the elderly?
No. In stead, the entire portion of the income tax increase earmarked for "senior services" would be added to the money already given to Toronto's two senior citizen social clubs.
After the levy passed, I again approached council to ask if it was possible to reconsider that determination. Perhaps - I suggested - the money could be placed in escrow and used at the end of the five-year term of the tax increase on something more permanent and beneficial to all of Toronto's seniors.
No, I was told, since all seniors are eligible to join these organizations, they felt that this technically satisfied the spirit of the levy. I was also told that the council would not lie to the citizens of Toronto. Which, by the way, I found a particularly odd thing to say since I had not asked council to lie at all. In fact, all that I was asking was that they consider other options that might also benefit those seniors who are not members of a club. Seniors who are - say - infirm or busy or who might otherwise be disenfranchised by a decision to gift their share of the city's money to clubs they do not choose to join for whatever reason. Besides, I was not asking that none of the money be used to support the social clubs; just that some also be used to benefit Toronto's seniors who were not club members.
As councilman, I would consider options that would benefit all of our parents and grandparents; a precedent I hope our children and grandchildren will follow as well.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Transparency in government
Today, I write about my belief that it is necessary for government to work in the open as much as possible. I believe that since our elected officials are there to represent our interests as our proxies, that it is beholden upon them to act in a way that we can hold them to account. In my post where I documented the issues I hope to address as councilman, I wrote, "As a former journalist, transparency of government is very important to me. I would make it a point to air the issues in the open, and not to hide behind conveniently written 'rules' of order to railroad through controversial legislation before it has been given a fair public hearing." When I wrote this, I was talking about two trends I have noticed in attending public meetings. "Rules" are invoked frequently to:
Public meetings are public for a reason; to give the citizens the opportunity to scrutinize how their business is being conducted. When legislators go into executive session, it closes the door on their deliberations, and the public is left guessing about what exactly is going on behind the closed door. Except in cases where council is considering private matters, it is my belief that the public has a right to see their business being conducted. Therefore, I would vote against closing the meetings to privately discuss the public's business in almost every instance.
•adjourn to executive sessionThese trends are not unique to Toronto by any means. They do it in Steubenville and Follansbee and many other municipalities. I've seen it done numerous times in numerous places; and not just in city government - but in school boards as well. First, I should note that when this is done, it is perfectly legal. Nonetheless, it is often done for reasons that strain the intent behind the right of council to do it.
•bypass the requirement that new ordinances be read publicly on three separate occasions.
Public meetings are public for a reason; to give the citizens the opportunity to scrutinize how their business is being conducted. When legislators go into executive session, it closes the door on their deliberations, and the public is left guessing about what exactly is going on behind the closed door. Except in cases where council is considering private matters, it is my belief that the public has a right to see their business being conducted. Therefore, I would vote against closing the meetings to privately discuss the public's business in almost every instance.
Monday, March 2, 2009
A more interactive council
In my previous post, I mentioned that I would like to see council be more active in community action groups. This idea is not original to me. Current council president, Tom Thomas, suggested the idea a few years ago, but I agree with him whole-heartedly. Mr. Thomas went so far as to suggest that council develop an outreach program which would be chaired by one of the sitting council members as an ad hoc commitee of council. Representatives of the various service groups around town would be invited to join the committee to better coordinate community events and to increase the support pool for each member service group.
As a participant in one such group, I can easily see the value of such a co-op. I am a member of Focus in Toronto. We have worked with the Chamber of Commerce over the past few years in organizing the July Fourth weekend Community Day events and the annual holiday parade, and recently, we took over organizing the annual Arts Festival. I feel that the network involved in co-ordinating our plans with the city could have been much more easily streamlined had Mr. Thomas' plan been in place. Furthermore, we could have also communicated more easily with other groups like the Bridge Builders and the Beautification Committee just in case any of our plans conflicted with theirs.
As your councilman, I would embrace any opportunity to build community and foster inter-organizational co-operation. In fact, I have a proposal in mind wherein council would coordinate fund raisers with the various groups and the money raised would be put to use to provide free wi-fi service all over town. This would make the entire city a hot-spot so that citizens and businesses could go online using any laptop computer no matter where in the city they happened to be. Other communities have done this successfully, and it can be a very effective selling-point when attempting to lure both new business as well as an incentive to attract new residents.
As a participant in one such group, I can easily see the value of such a co-op. I am a member of Focus in Toronto. We have worked with the Chamber of Commerce over the past few years in organizing the July Fourth weekend Community Day events and the annual holiday parade, and recently, we took over organizing the annual Arts Festival. I feel that the network involved in co-ordinating our plans with the city could have been much more easily streamlined had Mr. Thomas' plan been in place. Furthermore, we could have also communicated more easily with other groups like the Bridge Builders and the Beautification Committee just in case any of our plans conflicted with theirs.
As your councilman, I would embrace any opportunity to build community and foster inter-organizational co-operation. In fact, I have a proposal in mind wherein council would coordinate fund raisers with the various groups and the money raised would be put to use to provide free wi-fi service all over town. This would make the entire city a hot-spot so that citizens and businesses could go online using any laptop computer no matter where in the city they happened to be. Other communities have done this successfully, and it can be a very effective selling-point when attempting to lure both new business as well as an incentive to attract new residents.
Monday, February 23, 2009
My issues
There are several issues I would hope to address as your councilman, and I will try to address them each one by one in more detail in the coming weeks.
For starters, I would like to see the vacant Hillard building demolished or sold at auction. I consider it a blight, and it brings down the overall look of an otherwise beautiful downtown area.
I also am dissatisfied with the way the portion of the city income tax earmarked for seniors is being distributed. Presently, it is gifted in total to two senior citizen clubs, the Toronto Seniors and the Sunrise Seniors. I can personally think of two other and (in my opinion) better ways to distribute these funds to better benefit all Toronto seniors.
Also, I feel council could be more involved in local community action groups. I'll delve more in depth on this issue in my next post. I also have a particular project in mind which - if council and the various community service groups in town would band together on - could result in free wi-fi for every resident of the city.
Finally, I have attended several city council meetings, and while they are well organized and nobody is ever rebuffed, I feel that there is a tendency to too often conduct the actual business of governance behind closed doors. As a former journalist, transparency of government is very important to me. I would make it a point to air the issues in the open, and not to hide behind conveniently written "rules" of order to railroad through controversial legislation before it has been given a fair public hearing.
Let me know what you think. You can reach me by email, or leave a note in comments. Thank you.
For starters, I would like to see the vacant Hillard building demolished or sold at auction. I consider it a blight, and it brings down the overall look of an otherwise beautiful downtown area.
I also am dissatisfied with the way the portion of the city income tax earmarked for seniors is being distributed. Presently, it is gifted in total to two senior citizen clubs, the Toronto Seniors and the Sunrise Seniors. I can personally think of two other and (in my opinion) better ways to distribute these funds to better benefit all Toronto seniors.
• Maintainance on the Roosevelt Senior CenterAnother issue I would have liked to see council address is the commons area park. Plans were submitted which would have created a park linking the gazebo area with the WWI sailors and soldiers monument. This would have potentially increased tourist traffic to Toronto and would have increased property values for those living in the neighborhood. With the recent signing of the stimulus bill, it would also be a very good "works" project which we could submit to the state to try to appropriate a grant.
• Establish a heating grant program to help those over 65 and living under the poverty level to offset their winter fuel bills
Also, I feel council could be more involved in local community action groups. I'll delve more in depth on this issue in my next post. I also have a particular project in mind which - if council and the various community service groups in town would band together on - could result in free wi-fi for every resident of the city.
Finally, I have attended several city council meetings, and while they are well organized and nobody is ever rebuffed, I feel that there is a tendency to too often conduct the actual business of governance behind closed doors. As a former journalist, transparency of government is very important to me. I would make it a point to air the issues in the open, and not to hide behind conveniently written "rules" of order to railroad through controversial legislation before it has been given a fair public hearing.
Let me know what you think. You can reach me by email, or leave a note in comments. Thank you.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Introduction
My name is John David Core, contender for the Democratic Party nomination for the council at large position in Toronto, Ohio. I am active in community service, having founded a non-profit group to try to reestablish the Toronto Youth harbor back in 2002, and I currently serve in the Focus in Toronto (FIT) community service committee. I am a member of the Eagles Club, a full time student and I have a full time job. I currently chair the FIT scholarship ad hoc committee. Over the next several weeks, I will be using this site to roll out my platform for my goals as councilman and my ideas for how to revitalize our community. Thank you for visiting my site, and I hope to hear from you all. I am available through the email address associated with this account. I would appreciate your input.
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