Are Prince George Voters Looking For A Change

Friday, October 31, 2008 03:46 AM

Are the voters about to hand the incumbent Councillors their walking papers in the upcoming civic election?

You hear a lot on the streets about how much discontent there is with the present Council, but is that simply a small group that is very vocal?

During the last civic election, there was a back lash against Mayor Colin Kinsley, who was re elected on the basis that he would re build a Cameron St Bridge and would bring some new housing into the down town. Three years later and none of this have taken place. We will have a new Cameron St bridge perhaps early next year, hardly what could be considered a high priority over the past three years.

The down town has been talked about to death again, but, one wonders whether the average home owner in the city simply jumps into their vehicle and heads out to the new downtown on highway 16 west. They can shop at Wally’s world and a host of other shops in a newly defined downtown without all of the other problems.

So what does it come down to?

Well taxes remain a big issue and that is a hot button for every home owner in the city. Is the extra 4% levy to repair the roads (left in disarray by the city neglecting to put money into repairing them over a number of years) enough to get the voters dander up?

Will the fact that our taxes have risen in double digits over the past few years be sufficient to tweak the ire of the voters? It is hard to say. Turn out at the forums has been high, but is that an indication of things to come?

Those who are close to the election may think that we are in for an explosion, the voters on the other hand may think differently and they, after all, make the call.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 03:46 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: gus on October 31 2008 7:24 AM

I have seen some panhandlers move to the new downtown. Go where the action is.

Posted by: lostfaith on October 31 2008 8:09 AM

Some of those that are not currently sitting on city council will get my vote.

Ben mentions the 4% levy for road repairs, well there was another pile of money for road repairs added into the last tax increase go around, remember.

Strange how the patching crews start on a road that has 100 holes. They do 25 then come back two weeks later and do another 25 then come back two weeks later and so on and so on.

Crack sealing wasn't done when it should have been. Simple crack repairs have turned into major hole repairs.

Who is responsible ?

Posted by: giterdun on October 31 2008 8:19 AM

I would like to see the new mayor and council take control of the city away from the bureaucrates. Its time that the hired admin. at city hall got their direction fom the people who pay the bills.That can only be done by a strong council with hard nose leadership.(something that we have been lacking in previous councils). The tail should not wag the dog. The new council should go out into the community and seek more input into major decisions. If city council would read some of the ideas posted on Opinion 250 and instruct admin accordingly we would be far better off. Case in mind.... The disaster on River Road and the ice jam. Admin is only now starting to suggest dredging the river.(it has now become their idea.) This was suggested 8 months ago by this blog. The WANNA BE CONTRACTORS at city hall chose not to listen and look what got....a big fat bill and a useless road. TO THE NEW COUNCIL ..LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE... SOME OF THEM ARE HAVE MORE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE THAN THE BUREAUCRATES .

Posted by: Resident on October 31 2008 9:07 AM

I for one will not be ticking the box of any incumbent councillor. Our present councillors have completely lost touch with the citizens of PG. We have had enough trips to China, Turin, Portland, pouring water into the Nechako to create more ice, excessive tax increases, etc.
Enough is enough. It is time to give some new people the opportunity to see if they can succeed where the past city council has failed miserably with their "Father Knows Best Attitude".

Remember you do not have to vote for the maximum number of councillors. Just tick the box of the people you would like to see elected.
I personally would like to see 8 new faces on city council.

Posted by: heidi1555 on October 31 2008 10:27 AM

Not sure if this link will work but if there are people out there who haven't seen the river in person lately here are a few pics. The last ones were taken Oct. 19, 2008 so you really get a good look at the amount of sandy gravel that still remains.
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=11644128963&view=all

If that one doesn't work here is homepage url:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11644128963

Posted by: Bridge on October 31 2008 10:59 AM

but is that simply a small group that is very vocal?

I would say that about sums it up. The whiners will probably not bother to vote and the business community will turn out in force as they have a vested interest in electing a council that will look after thier interest.

I have to agree that the administration needs an over haul. It is their job to run the city and look after its infrastructure. Council should not be involved in the day to day operation of our City and therein lies the problem.

Why did we build a new bridge, why are we involved with air lines, why did we borrow 56 million dollars to help out a gas utility? These are all airy fairy ideas that council has supported. It is up to administration to say, hey just wiate a minute We dont have the cash for these projects.

Council needs to listen to our needs and not what they think is best for us and they should tell us if our needs can be met with the funds on hand. Our council is so busy trying to shore up the economy they forget what their roll shoiuld be.

Forty seven percent voted in the last election, Where was the other 53%? Watching televsion and shopping at the new town centre. The business community just loves a council that tries to drive the economy and they will elect the next council in Noivember.

Cheers

Posted by: camoose on October 31 2008 4:33 PM

I also will not be voting for any of the incumbants. I shall only vote for those I think can do the job and not necessarily a full slate. Just the ones i like. My taxes have gone sky high while the level of service has gone down. I truly hope those responsible are not re-elected. Nuff said.

Posted by: Palopu on October 31 2008 6:25 PM

I also will not be voting for any of the incumbents in this election. If they have shown me anything, it is that they are a bunch of non-thinking, rubber stamping, individuals that left most of the thinking,and decisions with Kinsley, who was able to run his own agenda, with little of no opposition. What a waste of time and money the past three years have been.

We need a new Mayor and Council to replace these dudes.

Whether enough people will get out to vote to make a difference remains to be seen, one can only hope so.

Posted by: bitter on October 31 2008 7:27 PM

Candidate Eugene Fetterly could have a chance at the Mayor's seat because he says a lot of things that make sense. He says things that other people are thinking but don't have the guts to say. I admire his courage.

Posted by: lostfaith on October 31 2008 8:53 PM

Fetterly is wasting his time

Posted by: NMG on October 31 2008 11:01 PM

"I also will not be voting for any of the incumbents in this election"

Same here. I just love how many of their stated priorities are things that they COULD HAVE worked on already. Sorry guys and gals, if you didn't have the time or effort to worry about them before (these aren't new issues), I don't believe that you will work on them in the future. I'm hoping for a clean sweep.

Posted by: Niagara on November 2 2008 7:10 AM

I read in the Citizen recently that city council spent an additional 400k to hire an american ad agency to promote PG over and above the wasted airline dollars.
I also read that the city has the distinction of "the biggest land owner in the downtown". Man .........these characters need a good kick in the pants. They get elected to city council and somehow become pillars of industry and land barons. The sole job of any city council is to take care of police,fire,roads,sewer, water and garbage and anything else is optional. I will also NOT be voting for any existing council members with the exception of the two that voted NO to the downtown energy plant....Skakun and Munroz. All the rest are just lemmings.

Posted by: Chester on November 2 2008 4:45 PM

A major overhaul is in order from my perspective as well. The problems we are discussing have been the main issues for years. The current council has not done an adequate job of addressing them. So, I will have a very difficult time voting for any of the incumbents.

Posted by: greta on November 5 2008 8:12 AM

I will not be voting for any of the incumbents. They have had plenty of time to make a difference - they have but not in a good way. I will be voting only for who I think can get the job done. AND, remember, you don't need to vote for 8 people - just the one or two or three you may want on council.