Chris Murray

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) 

 

Friday July 22, 2011

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Friday July 22, 2011 Touch and GO on LRT MPP Ted McMeekin says thereÕs little chance Hamilton will land Light Rapid Transit unless the city makes it a priority.ÒMy read on LRT, put very simply, is weÕll take our cues from the City of Hamilton,Ó he said. ÒLet me say it as bluntly as I can: If LRT is not a priority for the city council and the citizens it represents, the province is highly unlikely to come to the table with big bucks to do it.Ó McMeekinÕs comments mark the second time this week a provincial official has stressed the importance of the cityÕs enthusiasm and desire for securing LRT. Earlier this week, Metrolinx, the regional transportation agency in charge of rapid transit, said public support will be Òcritical to successfully implementing the rapid transit this region needs.Ó Those comments come after City Manager Chris Murray and Mayor Bob Bratina signalled a move away from pursuing LRT in favour of prioritizing all-day GO service. Part of that move was to suspend all non-essential work on LRT, which means a study of development possibilities along the LRT line will be cut short and the number of city staff working on LRT will shrink from six or seven to one. This week, LRT advocates have raised concerns about how the cityÕs apparent cooling on the issue would be affected by comments from city hall. However, in contrast to his comments earlier this week, Bratina said Thursday that LRT is a priority. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) Hamilton, QueenÕs Park, Metrolinx, GO transit, Bob Bratina, Chris Murray, tain, conductor, transit

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday July 22, 2011

Touch and GO on LRT

MPP Ted McMeekin says there’s little chance Hamilton will land Light Rapid Transit unless the city makes it a priority.“My read on LRT, put very simply, is we’ll take our cues from the City of Hamilton,” he said. “Let me say it as bluntly as I can: If LRT is not a priority for the city council and the citizens it represents, the province is highly unlikely to come to the table with big bucks to do it.”

McMeekin’s comments mark the second time this week a provincial official has stressed the importance of the city’s enthusiasm and desire for securing LRT. Earlier this week, Metrolinx, the regional transportation agency in charge of rapid transit, said public support will be “critical to successfully implementing the rapid transit this region needs.”

Those comments come after City Manager Chris Murray and Mayor Bob Bratina signalled a move away from pursuing LRT in favour of prioritizing all-day GO service. Part of that move was to suspend all non-essential work on LRT, which means a study of development possibilities along the LRT line will be cut short and the number of city staff working on LRT will shrink from six or seven to one.

This week, LRT advocates have raised concerns about how the city’s apparent cooling on the issue would be affected by comments from city hall.

However, in contrast to his comments earlier this week, Bratina said Thursday that LRT is a priority. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)