Comments on: The Gushing Money Faucet http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html Ex-Mayor John Steins formerly known as the Mayor of Dawson ;–) Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:54:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: John Steins http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28567 John Steins Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:23:35 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28567 Thank you Andre! This is exactly what I am driving at. Nothing involves people more when they are given active control of their destiny as a community. Thank you Andre! This is exactly what I am driving at.

Nothing involves people more when they are given active control of their destiny as a community.

]]> By: Andre http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28566 Andre Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:14:01 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28566 You are right, John, on the subject of self reliance. You don't have to live North of 60 in Canada to be remote, there are examples of that in every province (When next in B.C., visit Dease Lake, or Stewart, or any community on Haida Gwaii to get a taste). But to stick with Dawson City, imagine if YTG were to say to Dawson Council that the community's allocation is X dollars per capita. You, as a community, set the priorities for the allocation of the cash. Education, health care, transportation, recreation, social services, etc., you pick and you rank. It would not cost Canadian taxpayers an extra penny, but it would surely add substance and vigor to townhall meetings, and it would put the idea of democratic governance and accountability in a whole new light. You are right, John, on the subject of self reliance. You don’t have to live North of 60 in Canada to be remote, there are examples of that in every province (When next in B.C., visit Dease Lake, or Stewart, or any community on Haida Gwaii to get a taste).
But to stick with Dawson City, imagine if YTG were to say to Dawson Council that the community’s allocation is X dollars per capita. You, as a community, set the priorities for the allocation of the cash. Education, health care, transportation, recreation, social services, etc., you pick and you rank. It would not cost Canadian taxpayers an extra penny, but it would surely add substance and vigor to townhall meetings, and it would put the idea of democratic governance and accountability in a whole new light.

]]> By: John Steins http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28565 John Steins Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:56:23 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28565 Of course, I'm not suggesting that we don't create our own value. We all work and contribute to the economy, our culture and to our quality of life in our own individual ways. The undeniable fact is that our gross domestic product is far outweighed by the subsidy we receive from other Canadians. It's clear that it is prudent to maintain a population in remote areas in order to establish sovereignty, that's what's happening here and other far flung places in Canada and there is a cost attached to that. I think my underlying argument is that we give up too much of our self reliance and self determination with the instilled fear that funds will be withdrawn if we don't behave like good boys and girls. A recent example was the threat made by Yukon Hospital Chair Craig Tuton and Steve Nordick that if we kick up too much of a fuss regarding the location of the new health facility they will take their ball and go home, leaving us in the dust with no hospital. They displayed a complete disrespect to their fellow citizens by taking this paternalistic position just because they hold the purse strings. In my opinion they behaved like complete a-holes. My question is; how wide do we spread our legs for the cash? By the way, the town could earn much more of its own revenue with a sales tax or hotel tax. Guess who won't allow us to do that? Of course, I’m not suggesting that we don’t create our own value. We all work and contribute to the economy, our culture and to our quality of life in our own individual ways. The undeniable fact is that our gross domestic product is far outweighed by the subsidy we receive from other Canadians.

It’s clear that it is prudent to maintain a population in remote areas in order to establish sovereignty, that’s what’s happening here and other far flung places in Canada and there is a cost attached to that.

I think my underlying argument is that we give up too much of our self reliance and self determination with the instilled fear that funds will be withdrawn if we don’t behave like good boys and girls. A recent example was the threat made by Yukon Hospital Chair Craig Tuton and Steve Nordick that if we kick up too much of a fuss regarding the location of the new health facility they will take their ball and go home, leaving us in the dust with no hospital. They displayed a complete disrespect to their fellow citizens by taking this paternalistic position just because they hold the purse strings. In my opinion they behaved like complete a-holes.

My question is; how wide do we spread our legs for the cash?

By the way, the town could earn much more of its own revenue with a sales tax or hotel tax. Guess who won’t allow us to do that?

]]> By: Brent McDonald http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28564 Brent McDonald Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:23:36 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28564 1800 people of which I estimate 600 are working. If their average income is say 30 000 per year at 30 percent tax rate is 9 000x600 =5400000. Which is I believe is about the current city budget. That is just to maintain the city, so we cant really afford any capital projects of any size, that money has to come from elsewhere. the city cant afford its own social housing units, sewage treatment plant, arts schools, colleges, medical clinics, highway and airport maintenance etc. This money has to come from outside. Are you proposing we should do without any of these things so we can live within our own means? Our federal politicians waste more than they send to the yukon in a heartbeat. Quite frankly if they didnt send us this money most of us probably wouldnt be here right now. 1800 people of which I estimate 600 are working. If their average income is say 30 000 per year at 30 percent tax rate is 9 000×600 =5400000. Which is I believe is about the current city budget. That is just to maintain the city, so we cant really afford any capital projects of any size, that money has to come from elsewhere. the city cant afford its own social housing units, sewage treatment plant, arts schools, colleges, medical clinics, highway and airport maintenance etc. This money has to come from outside. Are you proposing we should do without any of these things so we can live within our own means? Our federal politicians waste more than they send to the yukon in a heartbeat. Quite frankly if they didnt send us this money most of us probably wouldnt be here right now.

]]> By: Dawson Activist http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28562 Dawson Activist Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:40:33 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28562 Ontario is now a have-not province. It's your friends in the Albertan oil industry that are paying for everything. And Yukon is way cheaper than NWT or Nunavut. In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the Yukon received $564 million ($18,166 per capita), the North West Territories $805 million ($18,704 per capita) and Nunavut $944 million ($30,265 per capita) for a total of $2.313 billion. Ontario is now a have-not province.

It’s your friends in the Albertan oil industry that are paying for everything.

And Yukon is way cheaper than NWT or Nunavut. In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the Yukon received $564 million ($18,166 per capita), the North West Territories $805 million ($18,704 per capita) and Nunavut $944 million ($30,265 per capita) for a total of $2.313 billion.

]]> By: John Steins http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28560 John Steins Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:39:48 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28560 You are quite right. I emphasize Toronto only because Ontario is likely the wealthiest province. What will we do when daddy takes the T-Bird away? You are quite right. I emphasize Toronto only because Ontario is likely the wealthiest province.

What will we do when daddy takes the T-Bird away?

]]> By: Andre http://themayorsblog.com/the-gushing-money-faucet.html/comment-page-1#comment-28559 Andre Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:50:52 +0000 http://themayorsblog.com/?p=918#comment-28559 I have a variant to your closing sentence. Never mind Toronto, next time you are in any town of 1,800 people in any province, make sure you go to the village office (that's what towns of 1,800 people are called in the provinces) and offer your $55,000 toward that village's municipal infrastructure. For communities of 1,800 in any province, from coast to coast, the variety and quality of facilities commonly found in North of 60 communities are beyond hoping and wishing for. I have a variant to your closing sentence. Never mind Toronto, next time you are in any town of 1,800 people in any province, make sure you go to the village office (that’s what towns of 1,800 people are called in the provinces) and offer your $55,000 toward that village’s municipal infrastructure. For communities of 1,800 in any province, from coast to coast, the variety and quality of facilities commonly found in North of 60 communities are beyond hoping and wishing for.

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