This weekend's highlight - The "Rat" of Ward TwoLanguage Access Policy - Social Services. Something to remember and bring up to Provincial Election candidates when they come to your door seeking your vote. This is not a cost that should be borne by Municipal ratepayers.
Sewer Surcharge Revenue Updates - I've looked at 8 different municipalities so far, and Windsor wins hands down for the most convoluted system of surcharges, levies and water rate calculations. The worst of these is how the Meter Fixed Charge is used to inflate "Total Water Charges" prior to the addition of the Sewer Surcharge and Lou Romano Levy.
I just love paying more for a water meter every month than I actually use in water and then having two additional levies applied to this "fixed" charge. At the current price, I pay for a new water meter every year. So what does Windsor Utilities do with all those new water meters we all buy each year?
On a related note - when you factor in the increased water rates and sewer surcharges - what is the REAL tax increase faced by Windsorites this year?
The Wellington and The Junction - two defining issues for this Council.
I agree with the Windsor Star's Craig Pearson - Chop the Onion, but have to warn him that the Mayor won't easily part with that $900,000 dollars in "Branding" money currently allocated in the Capital Budget. That's a whole different onion to peel.
Currently the only money in the Five Year Capital Plan for the Civic Plaza is $250,000 for consultations and engineering and a further $250,000 for construction tenders - scheduled for 2009. The question remains - would Windsorites prefer two years of consultations and reports on "branding" at the cost of $900,000 or simply get on with the job implementing the tens of millions of dollars of reports we've already paid for?
