The Bungling Bunch Rides Again
Under our scheme of government, the waste of public money is a crime against the citizen. Grover Cleveland (1837-1908)
Prelude
We're all aware that our three levels of government are extremely frivolous, irresponsible and foolish when spending taxpayers' money. Most people work hard at their jobs only to have almost half of their earnings robbed by the political rulers. Too many times we hear our "leaders" ruminate about raising taxes or establishing new "fees" (just another word for tax). Every so often we will hear the bureaucrats whine and complain because they're short of loot. One of their favourite lines that has become very popular is, "We need more money." These bandits are never happy and we all know the more they take the more they want. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Federal and Provincial governments are operating at absent-minded deficits. And we can't ignore the debt at both degrees which is excessive and preposterous. However, we must remember the province of Ontario had the Inglorious Liberals running the show from 2003-2018. Then there's my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario which is also "managed" very sloppy. "The Hammer" also has an uncontrolled financial shortfall and money owing.
I'm retired and my life is basically uneventful. To tell you the truth, I like it that way. I can always relate to the 1942 song written by Bob Russell (1914-1970) titled, "I Don't Get Around Much Anymore".
Back in May 2019 I had to drive downtown to my dentist office for a 9:00 a.m. appointment. For you folks that aren't acquainted with Hamilton, the city has two major residential areas, the mountain, and downtown. I live on the mountain and it took me twenty-five minutes before I touched down at my engagement. The trip should've been no longer than fifteen minutes. The reason for my longer than usual journey is our clueless and unsympathetic Ivory-tower mandarins. To make a long story short they decided to make John Street which connects to the Jolley Cut from a four-lane northbound street into a two-lane north and southbound "thoroughfare." Which I might add is one of their numerous crack-brained two-way conversions. Without a doubt, these menaces enjoy frustrating drivers.
The only upside I can say about my annoying and irritating trip is I don't have to put up with absurd bull shit every day. I do feel sorry for the poor souls who use that route daily to travel to work. Utter chaos. SHAME ON YOU CITY COUNCIL, SHAME ON YOU!
I will enlighten you on what the mob has been implementing in the last little while. First of all their unlimited fetish for bike lanes continues to flourish and expand. An article in CBC News on Jan. 20/19 titled, "City plans to spend $6.5 million on cycling projects this year" doesn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the agitators have expanded into Waterdown and Dundas. I guess the sky's the limit. Despite that, the report said the majority of money was coming from a one-time grant but the way I read the story the councilors are "donating" $2.7 million of our money for their bike lane obsession.
Another write-up in the Mountain News on May 16/19 titled, "More Bike Lanes For Hamilton Mountain" doesn't amaze me either. The cost will be $2 million but 80 percent will be covered by the province. I knew it was only a matter of time when we would see more bike lanes on the mountain. Why should people driving downtown be the only individuals who become pissed off?
I also have to include another fixation the illogical gang has, property taxes. Just to remind you Hamilton pays higher property taxes than Vancouver and Toronto as stated in CHCH news on Aug. 8/18. An article in CBC News on April 22/19 titled, "Numbers show Hamilton homeowners are struggling to pay high city taxes" is just a sign of the times. Do these "caring" politicians really give a flying fuck? I think not. The report also went on to say the city has $73,737,453 in unpaid property taxes. In 2014 13,829 residential properties were in arrears. In 2017 that number had increased to 17,914. Golly Gee, I wonder why?
A couple of months ago my E.A. (Executive Assistant) and I found out our property taxes were once again increased, this time by a ludicrous $103 a year. The "circus stars" made it public that on an average home of $358,600 people would be coughing up $88. I'll tell you right now our little two-bedroom cottage is not worth their calculated price. As usual, these undesirable crafty performers are taking part and entertaining themselves with the typical government game called "fun with figures." With the addition of my water rate (tax), our amount to city hall is $3,600 a year. I can sum it up with two words, FUCKING ROBBERY!
Sadly businesses suffer from the tax thievery also. About five years ago we had a gentleman repair our stove and he told us he also experiences the greediness at tax headquarters. Besides fixing appliances he also restores and sells used appliances. His store is approximately 2800 square feet and he mentioned his tab for the city's racket is $10,000 a year. He went on to indicate his small company has to sell one or two machines every month just to pay the taxes. I can only imagine what his taxes are now. Downright disgusting.
An article in the Mountain News on Jan. 31/19 titled "Councillors Turn Down Tax Hike To Fix Crumbling Roads" is a perfect example of the gang's lack of responsibility. As usual, our "leaders" refuse to devote attention to the city's aging roads. Stoney Creek Councillor Brad Clark appeared to be in the ballpark when he stated at a council meeting, "We need to put more money into roads." Get a load of the following comments Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson said, "I don't want to lead into reckless spending." Flamborough Councillor Judi Partridge stated, "I'm not onside to increase taxes" and Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann was hesitant to support the issue saying there were other budget priorities that we should consider to spend money on.
I look at this logic as negligent and thoughtless (excluding Mr. Clark's proposal). These three obviously aren't interested and don't give a damn about public safety and infrastructure. And on top of that, they can't see the forest because of the trees. In lieu of raising taxes (they'd probably have some sort of withdrawal complication) start chopping and terminating funding from other programs and departments, did anyone say bike lane?
Which brings me to more waste of our money. What I'm talking about is the new 14,000 square foot Gage Park, Tropical Greenhouse. The cost, now get this, is $4.2 million. Staff say groups of school kids can learn about plants. Excuse me, isn't that what schools are for? And what about the R.B.G. (Royal Botanical Gardens). That kind of cash is a hell of a lot of money and could be spent very nicely on fixing our roads.
Finally, I couldn't help but share this with you. It's from an article in the Mountain News on Dec. 13/18 titled, "Council Approves 4.6% Water Rate Hike." The write-up describes a lot of the city's water mains are in need of drastic repair. The following is priceless. Andrew Grice who is the director of wastewater and water told the council members about the aid state of our water mains and said, "It scares me, it keeps me up at night." Now that is too, too funny. Who is this guy? Another fat cat who is saying in his caring political way we need more money.
Epilogue
The city hall herd are well known for procrastination on serious decision making for municipal issues (let's perform another study for the original study). However, they don't seem to drag their feet on throwing our money away on useless, pointless and idiotic projects. I've always maintained public safety and infrastructure should be a vital priority, in other words, a one-two punch but these "administrators" think differently. As I have said before the real shameful and pathetic ordeal is the idiotic morons who re-elect the same councilors. A sad state of affairs.
The End
The Harvenut Puritan Project
Puritan will return with A Colourful Plague
Editor's Note:
Below is a short video documenting just one of the ridiculous impacts of the City of Hamilton's decision to convert the efficient one-way street system our city was famous for into a sluggish mess of idling vehicles and vacant bicycle lanes. (I call them "Vehicle Exclusions Lanes." It's more accurate.)
Some background for anyone unfamiliar with Hamilton. I filmed this from my car traveling south up the West 5th hill to the "mountain." The line of vehicles you see spewing unnecessary CO2 into the air is headed north to the downtown.
Prior to the political brain surgery that the city government has performed, this northbound traffic was able to smoothly merge onto then one-way (eastbound) St. Joseph's Drive to then one-way John St. S. to continue on their journey to the downtown. It was a seamless, laminar flow. You almost never saw downbound traffic backed up.
After the brain surgery, a stoplight was installed at the intersection of James St. S. and St. Joseph's Drive. As a result of this stoplight, any northbound vehicle must now wait until the light turns green before proceeding. Anyone stuck behind this car must now also wait. As the line grows, and grows, and grows.
And that is just one sorry example of the kind of horse-shit Hamilton politicians ram down the throats of their residents and taxpayers.
At this point, I must say that I whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Puritan's last two lines, "As I have said before the real shameful and pathetic ordeal is the idiotic morons who re-elect the same councilors. A sad state of affairs."
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