Yesterday I was at the legislature for "rotundapalooza" as one NDP staffer calls it, and I had a conversation with some Regina politicos. I pointed out the absurdity of federal fuel tax money being spent by Regina City Council on new buses instead of fixing Regina's terrible roads. The politicos argued that our roads really aren't that bad compared to Montreal and Ottawa, and that council really had no choice but to spend money on the buses and that having good roads would mean a significant tax increase. Of course, I thought, the tax increase wouldn't be as necessary if they weren't spending millions on fuel efficient buses but I digress...
By coincidence I was driving back to the office after the festivities were over, and I heard Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco on the radio commenting on the budget. You see, the budget increased revenue sharing with the municipalities by more than $7 million.
And what was Mayor Fiacco's reaction? He said this money will go a long way toward buying new city buses! How much money do we need for these buses, anyway? Are they equipped with ejector seats and lazer guided missiles? Can they lift off the ground and hover? Do they both transport people and fix pot-holes at the same time? I can't wait to see one of these goliaths wandering around the city with one lone occupant -- the driver.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Sask: Post-budget musings
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3 comments:
The current city council is spending around 20% of provincial funding or $2 million on road renewal. For once I agree with you, this is an outrage. $35 M in infrastructure debt, $2M won't even make a dent.
It's an election year. Taxes and spending are on hold. I believe in the next 2 years there will some suprises in store for Regina. Job cuts, outsourcing services etc. This is how this council balances it's act. They've asked what services we can do without? That's a loaded question. Like we know. I would say I like my city services as they are.
A good friend of mine is a sales rep who travels all over Sask. He says it's the Semi trucks that are ruining our roads. There are semi's driving on roads that were meant to take only single axeled grain trucks. They should slow semi truks to 100 kmh on our two laned highways and 90 kmh on our single laned roads. Over in Germany you have the Autobahn highway. Cars go fast trucks have a driving lane where they go 90 kmh. No one has the balls to admit this.
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