I introduce myself to you and you ask me, "what do you stand for and why are you running?"
Those are two important questions to ask all the candidates because we don’‘t have a returning councillor in ward 3 and all the candidates are new.
I also like to ask you a question, “what are your thoughts and concerns about the challenges we face in Toronto?”
Well, I’‘ve got 10 action items but it’‘s best to begin with the one that got me into municipal politics, it’‘s also one of the things that makes me different from the rest of the candidates in the election.
I first got involved with municipal politics in 2007, as a volunteer, on our Etobicoke residents association. It’‘s the same reason I’‘m running to serve as your Councillor today, left unchecked, overdevelopment and so called infill planning leads to overcrowded streets, schools and eventually effects quality of life and your property values.
How do you feel about the poor planning and over development that is beginning to happen to Etobicoke neighbourhoods?
Do you think it’‘s time to start this conversation with neighbours and stand up for a city that works for everyone and not just downtown developer’‘s.
Let’‘s take the power away from developers and put it back with the people who want to protect what’‘s good and what makes our community better. That’‘s number 1.
2) It means advocating for the elimination of the non- elected Ontario Municipal Board. It’‘s time to make sure residents rights come first and not last in the city planning process.
3) Hold the line on taxes. Ensure that tax dollars are spent wisely and we consider what has been achieved with contracted garbage by outsourcing more services. Phase out the land transfer tax that negatively impacts property values, seniors selling their homes for retirement, and young families trying to buy their first home in Etobicoke.
4) Renewal of Infrastructure. Stand up for long over-due investment in sewer, water, and street improvements which are all part of Etobicoke’‘s aging infrastructure.
5) Incorporate best practices when it comes to speeding up road construction, planning around rush hour and working at night when possible.
6) Support and help develop resident and ratepayers associations, tenant associations, and condominium associations in Ward 4. Help create a Federation of Etobicoke associations to work together on protecting Etobicoke against poor planning and overdevelopment.
7) Advocate for continued leaf collection, forestry maintenance, and snow plowing in Etobicoke.
8) Advocate to reduced night flights at Pearson airport.
9) Do more than talk about Transit. Get started on long over- due city wide rail transit system.
10) Continue to invest in parks. Improve green spaces for seniors and children.
And I will make sure that the voter, that’‘s you, always comes first and that calls are returned and action is taken. ‘‘
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