I like Mayor Ashe. He seems to be really involved in the community, showing up at almost every event people invite him to attend, showing interest in every group in our community. He seems to be doing a very commendable job as Mayor of Pickering. But attendance at events cannot be the ultimate criterion for assessing the value of a city’s mayor. One has to consider his policies, his actions, his manner of conducting municipal meetings. In those areas, Mayor Ashe has some shortcomings.
Recently. the Durham Regional Council dealt with property taxes in the region. They were increased significantly to much ballyhoo and criticism from the community. The DRC reviewed its tax increase and proposed its reduction.
Take a look at how the Regional Councillors voted, particularly ASHE, Brenner, Cook and Pickles. Ashe voted against the proposal to reduce the tax. I may be missing something here when I view that as a vote to pass an act that hurts taxpayers, particularly in these very tough economic times. Checking your food shopping list for a few weeks to see how you’re paying much more for food in very tough economic times.
Record-setting food bank use reinforces the implied message above that people are experiencing serious problems with income shortfalls that cause high food stress/anxiety and the users of food banks are not just ‘poor’ people. More and more average-income taxpayers are users too.
Mayor Ashe’s golf cart must be beyond the sound limits of these citizens….oops, Mayor Ashe doesn’t use a cart as it’s too expensive, unless a developer, a golf buddy, sponsors one for him.
Nevertheless, the clamor and outcry about our economic situation, like the property taxes, just keeps on increasing. Ashe may have gone deaf. By voting down the tax increase, Ashe would have been throwing the average citizen a crumb of assistance. Ashe voted the opposite way.
And now the People of Durham Region award Ashe a Certificate of Appreciation! For what? For “prioritizing long-term fiscal stability over short-term political comfort.’ Lets hope the People of Durham Region who were part of the awarding panel feel good about the long-term fiscal stability they are receiving from the increased taxes. I wonder what the ‘short-term political comfort’ would feel like if Ashe had voted to decrease taxes.
All my years of education, my numerous certificates and diplomas aren’t helping me understand how increased taxes in a very troubled economy can be stabilizing. My budget would like to say lets try the other way to see how the short-term political comfort feels. I know I don’t feel good about tax increases and Ashe voted in favour of them. A bogie Mr. Ashe, a double bogie, maybe even a triple. You ‘misstroked’ Mr. Mayor.
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