To the editor:
It is regrettable that the campaign is being changed from citizen concerns to personal attacks on me.
My opponent begs people to stay the course in his letter to this paper. The main reason I am running is to ensure our City grows and prospers on a straighter, more focused course.
To do that we must rein in the spending. Clearly our administrative people just this week made that a major part of the approach to this year's budget, one that I had long advocated.
Let us look at the record during my terms as mayor with accuracy. Two weeks before taking office the city was hit with a boil water advisory, we were enduring our lowest building permit numbers ever; the north core had a parking problem -- no one was there to park, construction was negligible, there was little help from the provincial or federal governments, and the population was dropping.
When my term was done we led the province in building permit values because we were constructing a new hospital, we overcame the water advisory with a state-of-the-art treatment facility, the med school was announced, and people were naming me "The Mayor Who Fixed The Roads."
We won awards for anti-racism, beautification, arts and culture, and our new programs such as PRO Kids to name but a few. We developed a community plan Fast Forward, which involved the entire community. I began a series of community engagements called walkabouts to let people and civic employees know they would be listened to. In 1997 we rolled up our sleeves as a council and worked to solve very difficult problems indeed.
The whole region teamed up for the regional hospital and the medical school when the province said no to both. So I have been there in the most difficult of times and brought people together to address the most complex of problems.
And we were doing this by budgeting within our means.
When I was elected as president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario I took the message from all cities and towns and we, by working together, convinced the provincial government to share the gas-tax revenues with municipalities.
Further, as a Member of Parliament, I pushed for federal support for municipalities, again in a share of the gas tax. This is what leaders do when they listen to people, they act responsibly and effectively. As a result of this work with my municipal leaders our city gets close to $9 million a year to help fix our roads and support our transit system.
I know how to get results.
Hobbs' negative attacks may work in other countries but I will not play his game of tricks.
He is the very last person on earth to say I missed a couple of meetings. My record over the years is darn-near perfect for the huge number of meetings I must attend. In addition to council responsibilities I have always been there when charities or community groups need advice.
I have not yet met any one who has perfect attendance, especially when budget dates change short times before the meeting. How low for Hobbs to stoop as if he has perfect attendance.
I will not stop asking tough questions at council because I believe people should get the straight answers to their concerns. To criticize me for thoroughly examining budget proposals is preposterous-that's what we were elected to do.
My platform is to provide experienced leadership to grow a financially stable and prosperous city.
That is forward thinking and that is why I want to move our City to be the one we all want it to be.
Ken Boshcoff
Mayoralty candidate,
Thunder Bay
