Its funny how two seemingly unrelated events can collide over the course a week.
User Fees for Sports Leagues
Earlier this week, Councillor Di Muccio posted a blog about an ambitious plan to phase out user fees for minor sports leagues (hockey, soccer, baseball etc). This of course comes on the heels of a City of Toronto initiative to do the same thing. The difference between the two initiatives though is that Councillor Di Muccio wants to phase the fees out over time (she suggested 10 years) whereas the proponents of the Toronto plan want it done immediately.
I agree with the phase out and I think it is less likely to affect taxes if the phase out occurs over several years. In Newmarket, Councillor Di Muccio suggests that the municipal government could easily find $100,000 annually to trim from its budget to accomplish this - an amount she says that would equal 0.1% of the overall municipal budget.
As long as it is done as trimming the budget (as opposed to increasing our taxes), then why wouldn't everyone support this idea?
The benefits speak for themselves and Councillor Di Muccio pointed out a few:
1) Healthier lifestyles
2) Teaching kids about fairness and teamwork
3) Reducing public health costs associated with kids being overweight
4) Reducing crime rate among youth
and so on.
This plan, while bold, seems like a no-brainer to me.
User Fees for Farmers Market Vendors
This morning I noticed a tweet from the President of the Newmarket Farmers Market attacking Councillor Di Muccio.
Interesting,
It is interesting because, unlike our sports teams, the Newmarket Farmers Market vendors actually don't pay any user fees for their booths. And ironic because Councillor Di Muccio advocates in favour of them not paying user fees so these vendors are biting the hand that supports their free ride.
On the other hand, I have been on record for being very much opposed to these businesses getting everything for free so I have no issue with biting them back.
I think the businesses associated with the Farmers Market have been sponging off the Newmarket taxpayer for far too long.
Here's why:
1) Unlike the minor sports leagues, which are non-profit organizations, the Farmers Market vendors make a significant amount of money each week in profit. Almost all of the transactions are cash based, which is not to say that anyone is cheating the CRA but merely to point out that there is an opportunity there to do so. Yet the non-profits, like the Newmarket Soccer Club, are run into near-bankruptcy by exorbitant user fees charged by the Town of Newmkarket (the town's user fees are among the highest in the region according to others). The vendors should pay their fair share.
2) There is zero economic benefit to the local economy. The money these farmers make at the market leaves town with them. None of these farmers are located and reside in municipalities from other regions (outside of York Region). These vendors don't shop here. They spend their money closer to home.
3) The Farmer's market kills job opportunities for local youths. Our local grocery stores employ young people. I get hopping mad whenever I see a Newmarket Council member tweet something about supporting a local farmer because none are from Newmarket. Yet the local grocery stores, those that employ local youth and pay taxes to the municipality and even sponsor local minor sports teams, rarely, if ever get a mention at Council.
4) The name for the Farmers Market shouldn't include Newmarket. I would like their name changed to something that actually reflects reality, such as "These Vendors Are Not From Around Here Farmers Market".
And Last Gasps
I recently followed a conversation Robb Derkatz was having with someone on Twitter when he said something that resonated with me: In Politics, when you are explaining, you are losing.
Nowhere does the wisdom behind these words hold more water than with Tony Van Bynen's social media attack on the person that I expect will be his 2014 challenger, Councillor Di Muccio, earlier this week.
It seems clear to me that the Mayor has tested which way the public opinion wind is blowing on his personal vendetta against his opponent and has come to the conclusion that his own image is suffering.
His "Open Letter" is badly written, overly long, and frankly boring to read. It is no wonder that it has garnered nothing more than a yawn from any circle other than his most ardent supporters, such as Councillors Taylor, Emanuel, and Vegh.
We are witnessing the last desperate gasps of the Old Boys Club as their network slowly unravels before our eyes.
Remember that Mayor Van Bynen and Regional Councillor Taylor both faced "paper" candidates in the 2010 election who still attracted approximately 1 in 5 voters. In 2014, it is unlikely either of them will be facing another Cascione/ Richman-type candidate. I'm guessing next year will be quite different for both men.
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