Budget

Tuesday July 11, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday July 11, 2017

Giant $300k city hall sign on way

It’s taken a little longer than expected, but the mayor’s plan for a huge eye-catching sign on the forecourt of city hall is finally going before councillors.

Fred Eisenberger says the sign, which will spell “Hamilton” in giant illuminated letters, will cost $250,000 to $300,000 to build and install but taxpayers will pay “zero” for it.

“This is gift from the private sector to the City of Hamilton for Canada 150,” he said.

Just like the one they have in Toronto

The design will be unveiled at Thursday’s public works meeting. It’s based on similar letter signs in cities such as Toronto and Amsterdam where they’ve proven popular photographic backdrops for tourists and residents alike.

“I think the design is unique in the sense that it’s stylized, but it’s in that vein. It’s the ‘Hamilton’ name, nothing more dramatic than that. It’s a particular font with lighting capability and variable lighting options.”

“Wow factor” September 1, 2010

Eisenberger says the designer is local but declines to reveal the name until council has seen the report.

He’s also keeping the private donors under wraps until the initiative is approved. The plan is to honour them with name plaques attached to the letters.

Eisenberger revealed he was rounding up private funding for the sign as part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations at the annual Chamber of Commerce mayor’s breakfast in May. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

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Friday March 24, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday March 24, 2017

Budget crunch: Hamilton councillors opt to delay HSR plan, hike parking rates, rec fees to lower tax hike

Hamilton will hit the brakes on its 10-year transit improvement strategy, increase parking rates and recreation fees in a bid to stave off a hefty 2017 tax hike.

January 27, 2017

A full day of budget-busting Thursday also included closed-door discussions about selling or changing operations at community halls and carving nearly 84 full-time positions out of the workforce.

If all the last-minute budget-cutting proposals are adopted, the average tax hike will be whittled down to 2.3 per cent, or an extra $76 for the owner of a $315,000 residential property.

Friday August 15, 1997

But the most controversial decision Thursday came when councillors voted to delay planned HSR service standard improvements until next year, including the addition of new buses, 29 drivers and 34,000 hours of extra service.

The move, which saved $2.1 million, was paired with a corresponding promise to put off a planned 10 cent fare hike until 2018.

November 14, 2015

City budget chief Mike Zegarac argued it made sense to delay the 2017 HSR strategy spending because Hamilton is still awaiting promised federal cash to pay for new buses needed to ramp up service.

“It doesn’t make sense to tax residents now if you can’t use those funds to pay for service changes until 2018,” he said.

But that argument didn’t wash with the union for HSR drivers or transit advocates who delivered a 900-name petition to councillors ahead of the meeting pleading for more investment in the HSR. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Thursday March 23, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 23, 2017

Trudeau should only be in question period once a week, report says.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being slammed for a report suggesting he only attend question period in the House of Commons once a week.

The report, called “Reforming the Standing Orders of the House of Commons,” was released earlier this month. It calls for changes to the rules of the House “in order to make Parliament more relevant to Canadians.”

The report suggests taking on the British model of question period, in which one day is dedicated to questioning the prime minister.

But the report doesn’t say whether he’d be required to attend the rest of the week.

It also recommends changing how Fridays work on Parliament Hill.

One proposed change would eliminate Friday sittings, and re-allocate the hours to other days of the week. The House of Commons could meet earlier on other days, for example.

Alternately, the report suggests making Fridays a full work day. Committees currently don’t meet on Fridays and there are only 2.5 hours available for government orders.

Fridays could be changed to look like “any other sitting day,” the report said.

However, they should still be organized so that two hours of Private Members’ Business can take place at the end of the day, so that certain MPs can leave earlier to return to their ridings. (Source: Global News) 

 

Wednesday March 23, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 23, 2017

Bill Morneau planning cautious budget for March 22 as he waits on Trump

Bill Morneau’s second budget will be short on new spending and will include what amounts to a “down payment on the innovation agenda,” as the finance minister takes a wait-and-see approach over the uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic agenda.

A senior government source said this budget will set the stage for what could effectively be a two budget year, with a significant fall fiscal update that would be able to factor in the full implications of the coming U.S. Budget.

Morneau announced in the House of Commons today that he will deliver his budget on March 22. The expectation was that it would be a so-called “innovation budget”  — outlining the beginnings of a plan to re-engineer the Canadian economy — but government officials have been keen to tamp down those expectations in recent weeks.

“We want to move forward on our agenda and continue to be ambitious in helping Canadians,” Morneau said in the foyer of the House of Commons, adding that he is “confident” he can do that while remaining fiscally responsible.

“We know that the measures we put in place in Budget 2016 made a real difference for middle class Canadians, we can continue that going forward,” he said. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Wednesday March 8, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 8, 2017

Trump administration proposes 97 per cent cut to Great Lakes restoration initiative

Alarm bells are ringing over potentially drastic cuts to the protection of the Great Lakes.

August 25, 2016

U-S President Donald Trump’s administration is proposing to slash the budget to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by 97 percent.

Scientists say these cuts would be devastating to the efforts by Canada and the U-S to restore the precious resource.

The Great Lakes represent 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water, and provides drinking water for 45 million people.

The Executive Director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research can’t believe the news.

“When I first heard it, I thought it was a joke,” says Daniel Heath.

Internal US budget documents obtained by CTV News suggest the Trump government plans to cut nearly two dozen EPA programs. Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative would drop from $300-million a year to $10-million.

June 23, 2016

The funding for the Initiative helps fight invasive species, curbs nutrient fueled algae blooms, cleans up toxic messes and restores the sensitive fish and wildlife habitat.

Derek Coronado of the Citizens Environment Alliance suggests this is a “public health issue” and a “human security issue.”

“It’s not good for fisheries in Lake Erie, and tourism. Who wants to go to a beach with toxic material,” adds Coronado.

Heath adds the cuts would undermine all of the protection efforts currently underway.

“It may save some money, but it would put back Great Lakes conservation by decades,” adds Heath.

Scientists are urging residents on both sides of the border to speak to their elected officials about the potential cuts.(CTV News)