A Pan Am Games Scandal Comes to Newmarket

At various times this blog talks about the concept of privilege.  And not to confuse the definition, we don't mean the "privilege to serve the community" or "I am not going to share privileged information."  The definition of privilege is a sense being given a special honour or standing in the community that others, more ordinary people, can't have.

We live in a democracy.  We are supposed to all believe in one-person-one-vote, all men are created equal, that hard work and merit mean more than who you know or who you are related to.

Yet everywhere I look in Newmarket, I see our government, and in particular our Town Council, rewarding those who haven't earned the honour.

Michael Croxon, owner of New Roads GM located on Yonge Street in East Gwillimbury, and resident of Hillsview Road in Aurora is your "Newmarket Pan Am Torchbearer".

Michael Croxon is a big-time election campaign donor too.

Not in Aurora, where he lives.  Not in East Gwillimbury, where he has a business.

He donates in Newmarket where donations to politicians go further.

After giving to John Taylor's campaign, Tony Van Bynen's campaign, and Kelly Broome Plumley's campaign, Michael Croxon and his New Roads business has been reaping in all sorts of privileges in Newmarket.

Not just the controversial title sponsor of the charity golf tournament controversially run from the Regional Councillor's office, you can find Michael Croxon and/or New Roads on all sorts of events.

Need a torchbearer?  Michael Croxon is the guy.

Need a sponsor for Winterpalooza held in a town owned property?  New Roads GM has its brand all over that.

How about an outdoor rink in a Town of Newmarket park?  Again, New Roads will toss in a couple of hundred of dollars in exchange for having signs erected on municipal property.

Never has it been so easy, and cheap, to advertise a business.  Just a few strategic election campaign donations and you can have pretty much free reign of advertising opportunities on public property.

Granted, not all the events listed above are "Town of Newmarket" events but they all have distinct ties to one or all of the politicians that Croxon donates to - either Tony Van Bynen, John Taylor or Kelly Broome Plumley.  It is easy to connect the dots.

How handy it must be for Michael Croxon, who is the employer of  ward 6 Councillor Kelly Broome Plumley, to ensure that his influence at Newmarket town hall is secure.

In most communities, it would not be acceptable for a business with such a close connection to Council to have such influence.  Remember the outcry when Rob Ford inquired about a pothole in the street in front of  Deco Labels?  But in Newmarket, such brazen cronyism is their modus operandorum.  "Everything is for sale," is the way business is done at 395 Mulock Ave.

And in Newmarket, donating money to the right politicians can buy you something like this:

Personally, I would rather have a youngster, who has merited this honour, not through a cheque book, but some action that is truly community building.  Or perhaps have a long term coach of a local sports team, someone who for years, through sunshine and rain, encouraged children to be their best.  

Because there are much better examples for our community than someone who "buys" privilege through connections with Tony Van Bynen, John Taylor and Kelly Broome Plumley.  That sort of privilege isn't in any way honourable.  It undermines community.  It debases Newmarket.  

At the Pan Am games, we don't give out Gold medals to the richest competitor.  We don't honour the athletes who give the biggest sums of cash to the Pan Am judges.  

The Pan Am Games are supposed to honour those who compete fairly, work the hardest, and achieve their personal best.  

It is hard to say how Michael Croxon's selection as the torchbearer lives up to the example of the Pan Am athletes but he certainly is the standard-bearer for the kind of Newmarket that Tony Van Bynen, John Taylor, and Kelly Broome Plumley are building.  

Reducing Council from 7 to 4 Wards

Yesterday's Committee of the Whole meeting had many important items on it's agenda.  Among them:

1. How much of an "infrastructure levy" will Newmarket residents be seeing on their 2015 tax bill?
2. Will Council endorse a request to extend the terms of two Newmarket Tay Hydro board members who have already reached their term limits?
3. Staff asked for clarification of what Council's priorities are for the 2014-18 term.  

And in consideration of the third point, how ironic is it for Staff to be asking via yesterday's agenda about reducing the number of Council members from 7 to 4 on a day when Regional Councillor John Taylor and Councillors Hempen and Twinney didn't bother to show up at the meeting?

Clearly these absent Councillors are giving Newmarket a message that we can proceed with reducing the number of council members.  To borrow from Ted Cruz's speech, "Imagine" a council that didn't include Taylor, Twinney and Hempen.  I think that would be real progress indeed.

So thank you to the absentee councillors who felt their constituents didn't need representation yesterday.  Issues like the budget and taxes, management of Newmarket Tay Hydro and our ever increasing utility bills, and setting priorities for our town can just carry on without them.

When The Newmarket-Aurora Old Boys Club turns into life threatening danger

Besides being members of Newmarket Council, what else do Tony Van Bynen, John Taylor, Jane Twinney, Christina Bisanz, Kelly Broome Plumley  (and possibly others) have in common?

All of these Newmarket council members accepted political "help" in the forms of cash and/ or other support from Magna Inc. and/or Stronach related people/ corporations.

Steven Hinder is the man behind this "help".  He is the Director of Community and Government Relations for the Stronach Group.  He is the Manager of Community Relations for Magna International Inc.  He is the past chair of the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce representing Magna (see the link http://www.newmarketchamber.ca/Steve-Hinder-biography) and he is heavily involved with Neighbourhood Network, Belinda's Place homeless shelter, and Southlake Hospital Foundation Board. He's also an ex-cop from the city of Toronto.

It is essentially Mr. Hinder's job to represent the Stronachs and Magna at various community events and initiatives. Mr. Hinder supports certain municipal politicians, and these politicians can be counted upon to reciprocate when needed.  In Newmarket, the Magna Centre and the Frank Stronach Park are just two examples of how this arrangement works.

On paper, Steven Hinder and his "help" appear quite commendable and that is certainly what the Stronachs and Magna intend.  No one can ever accuse either the Stronachs or Magna Inc. of not being great citizens of the Newmarket and Aurora communities.

But those who know Steven Hinder well will admit that on a personal level, Mr. Hinder relishes the role of power broker and he can be a bully to those whom he doesn't like.  It's a well known fact that a number of well funded, anonymous, politically motivated smear campaigns in both Newmarket and Aurora were initiated against candidates who Mr. Hinder doesn't like.  (A few insiders might note the irony of Nwkt Town Hall Watch in publishing the news that exposes Mr. Hinder).

Mr. Hinder enjoys picking the winners and losers in local politics. He uses his charity connections, Stronach and Magna money, and his ownership of Snap'd Aurora to his political advantage: in order to gain influence in the community.  But from all accounts, political strongman-ship is not the reason why Magna and the Stronachs hired him.

His job is supposed to be community outreach.  

Last year about this time, I attended Jane Twinney's PC party acclamation meeting at the Mansion in Aurora. I had heard of a fracas between Steven Hinder and another individual, PC loyalist Anthony Pullano.  Pullano is a former candidate in the last Aurora municipal election. He served in the past as a Director for the Newmarket-Aurora PC riding Association and is very well respected among his peers.

The incident was the subject of persistent whispers that ran through all of 2014 and into early 2015. Through it all, Steven Hinder continued in his ways, helping on various election campaigns, and donating either Stronach and/or Magna money to certain campaigns.  For the most part, the campaigns he gave money to were successful, which highly bolstered Hinder's reputation as a man who can "make things happen" for certain people.

On February 28th, 2015, in the Newmarket, Ontario General Division Court, a lawsuit was filed against Mr. Hinder, Magna Inc.and the Stronach Group, seeking $1.5 million in damages relating to the March 20th Newmarket-Aurora PC nomination in which Jane Twinney was acclaimed.

I was forwarded that Statement of Claim.

I have been told that both papers the Era and The Auroran have this information, but are too afraid to report on it.  For their sake, they can go to the Newmarket Court House and upon paying a $10 fee, they can have their own copy of File #CV-15-121907-00.  In the past, The Era published stories about an "imaginary" lawsuit against former councillor Maddie Di Muccio.  Yet, when the news is real, and the evidence is easily obtainable, these papers fail our communities over and over again. This is why more and more people are coming to my blog and others like me, for real news about what is really going on in our community and exposing the masks behind the "political players."

Here is a summary of the allegations against Steve Hinder (yet to be proven in court):

1) Hinder attended the Newmarket-Aurora PC Acclamation meeting for Jane Twinney on March 20, 2014 in his "capacity with his employment by Magna Inc. and the Stronachs."  He was there to support Twinney in her failed bid to replace Frank Klees as MPP.

2)  With a closed fist, Mr. Hinder approached the plaintiff and punched him in the chest exclaiming "Who are YOU supporting tonight!" - and walked away.

3) Nine months previously, the victim had suffered a heart attack and his treatment at that time included having a defibrillator surgically implanted in the right side of his chest. Immediately after the assault, Pullano experienced pain in the spot on his chest where he was punched and left the meeting, despite his friends and colleagues asking him to stay.

4) Within hours, the victim was at Southlake Hospital to have his injuries looked at. The attending physician confirmed that trauma to the area of the defibrillator had occurred and the family physician confirmed the injury was "most likely caused by trauma to that area."

5) Within weeks the trauma had become so infected that the plaintiff was admitted to the hospital for surgery and the defibrillator was removed from the right side of his chest and a new one replaced on the left side of his chest.

The Statement of Claim filed by the plaintiff alleges the following: "that Steven Hinder intentionally applied force to the chest of Anthony Pullano without his consent", was "excessive and unreasonable under the circumstances. The Claim cites "Assault and Battery, Negligence and Vicarious Liability and Other Liability" and that Steven Hinder "has a history of aggressive and bullying behaviour."

The Claim outlines the awful experience that Pullano went through and the serious threat to his life. It highlights "the highhanded, shocking contemptuous conduct of the defendants" and seeks damages of over $1.5 million.

I'm looking forward to following this case closely, but this allegation, if proven to be true, should be a wake up call to our communities.

No Game 7 but that doesn't mean we can't have a Tax Levy

In May 2013, on an evening when everyone was watching Game 7 of the playoffs between the Leafs and the Bruins, Newmarket Council quietly passed a extra tax levy without any scrutiny or people input.


When a municipality passes its annual budget, the media and the public pays attention.  Usually, people are given a chance to speak about town priorities and whether a tax increase is necessary.  If done right, a budget that follows this open and accountable process is proven to deliver great results.  Not only do the council members get an opportunity to sell their visions and establish priorities, but an inclusive process also makes taxpayers feel more like citizens instead of ATMs. 


But in 2013, Councillor Hempen stealthily pushed forward with his singular legislative achievement of the 2010-2014 term.  Without explaining why this levy was necessarily or how it was intended to be used, he convinced his Council colleagues to hike your property tax bill. 


As the great Yogi Berra once said, It's Deja Vu all over again. 


On the next agenda (March 23rd, 2015) there is an item listed as follows:


Corporate Services Report - Financial Services 2015-20 dates March 6, 2015 regarding Decision Packages and Infrastructure Levy (Report to be distributed with Addendum Agenda)


Unlike other agenda items, there is no explanation what this agenda topic is about and the public isn't shown a copy of the report.  It appears that we are being given as little information about an "Infrastructure Levy" as possible. 


What is curious about this Levy is that the 2015 budget has yet to pass.  Why is Council considering a special levy if it could just as easily be included within an upcoming budget? 


Just a few weeks ago, council made a big show about how community volunteers came together to create skating rinks.  The money, time and ideas were all volunteer-based with the Town of Newmarket providing parkland.  This is just one example of such a project.  Regular readers will remember similar projects such as considerable sums collected for the off-leash dog park, and the significant sponsorship of the community centre by the Lions Club.  If the community is voluntarily funding recreational facilities like these, we should all be concerned about the voracious appetite of the Town to increase our taxes.  Where is all the tax money going?


Hopefully answers will be forthcoming soon.  Unlike 2013, the Maple Leafs have no chance of making the playoffs this year so there should be plenty of public scrutiny should Council decide to proceed with this special levy. 

Seven Highligts from the First 100 Days of Council Term

100 days into this new Newmarket Council term.  Let's summarize some of the highlights thus far.

1)  Council continues to vote as a "Bloc"

During the election race, there were comments that certain candidates were "recruited" and had their campaigns paid for by the Gruesome-Twosome.  So how have new Council members Christina Bisanz and Kelly Broome Plumley demonstrated their independence?  By voting 100% "In Favour" of all motions (in lockstep with the Gruesome-Twosome).  The application on the Town of Newmarket is easy to use and I recommend it to voters to keep tabs on their elected representatives.  Here is the link:  http://www.newmarket.ca/en/townhall/agendaapp.asp

2) First things first, Council hikes Water Rates.

Yes, right out of the gate, Council decides to hike your cost of living in Newmarket by raising water fees.  The motion passed with no real debate, outside of a few residents complaining before Council.

3)  Yes, your property taxes will be hiked too.

Ever since he has been Mayor, Tony Van Bynen has raised property tax rates in Newmarket.  While the budget has yet to pass, Council let us know that they are coming for more of your dough.  Today the mill rate for Newmarket taxes are among the highest in the GTA, (second highest in York Region).  Only Georgina's is higher and Georgina residents voted to replace their mayor in the October election.  Given enough time as Mayor, and local residents will have an opportunity to say Newmarket is #1 again, (with the highest property taxes around).

4)  Council bought themselves some "council member" clothing.

I have seen a figure of $2700 spent on "council member" branded clothing for the new Council members.  This reckless spending shows where Council's priorities lie.  The only thing that could have topped the audacity of this wasteful spending would have been to embroider "Top 10 Places to Live" onto their new clothing.

5)  Opposition is mounting

John Taylor has been exposed and so has has the code of conduct.  The Council had a "come to Jesus" moment when the code of conduct political charade was spotlighted.  Score a win for residents when Council was forced to address the code of conduct failings (scheduled for mid-April).  Ordinary citizens are joining groups and/ or asking for Freedom of Information reports.  I get a real sense of momentum building that is going to make for a very bumpy ride for Newmarket council members.

6)  Tony Van Bynen has been exposed

The Clinton campaign had a slogan, "It's the economy stupid".  That will be the theme for this term of Council too.  The Gruesome Twosome believe that either broadband or spending more money on Main Street will turn the corner for them on the zero growth job numbers.  It is a long shot gamble at best.  Council has thrown money at Main Street for 30+ years and nothing has happened.  Even if Davis Drive is completed in time for 2018 (and I have my doubts), Yonge Street construction (which starts within a few weeks) won't be.  Newmarket's economy will be stuck in neutral for many years to come which should make for an interesting council term.

7)  Newmarket's economy has been exposed.

Not only has the Newmarket economy job creation rate stalled at 0.03% over the past 5 years. with the prospect of 2000 York Region jobs uprooting from Newmarket for Richmond Hill being considered, and with approximately $1,000,000+ spent by the municipal government on "economic development" since 2009, our Council is on the hot seat.  Unfortunately for them, none of them are entrepreneurial enough to dig themselves out of the whole they find themselves in.  

 

Time to Make a Decision for Taxpayers and Local Businesses, Mr. Mayor

The Newmarket Era, (and pretty much everyone else), has been reporting on 77,000 jobs created in York Region since 2009 but just 100 of those were created in Newmarket.  York Region is reporting job growth at a combined annual average rate of 2.8%.  Newmarket over the same period of time?  Just 0.03%.


When the Town's neighbouring municipalities are seeing their economy grow by 57 jobs every time Newmarket adds just one, you cannot blame the global, national or provincial economies.  To take an overused axiom and give it a twist:  It is the LOCAL economy, Stupid. 


So what is our LOCAL government going to do about it? 


In 2009, the Town of Newmarket created a new position called "Economic Development Officer and hired Christopher Kallio to get our local economy going again.  Here is a summary of what taxpayers paid him to accomplish this:


Year          Salary         Raise Percentage
2013          $120,091    1.1%
2012          $118,751    2.7%
2011          $115,598    2.3%
2010          $112,985    8.3%
2009          $104,343    -


To summarize, over this period of time Mr. Kallio received $571,778 in salary and was rewarded an average pay increase of 3.58% each year.  Over this same period of time, while our neighbouring towns were growing their economy, Newmarket was stagnant. 


I once had a boss who had a very simple formula for dealing with underperforming employees.  During the first 6 months of under achievement, fire the under achieving employee.  If the problem persists beyond six months, fire the manager of the under achieving employee for not dealing with lacklustre performance. 


Mr. Kallio has not only been allowed to continue in his job (paid for by you and me of course) but his managers have actually rewarded him salary increases each year that he has been with the Town.  What signal does that give to the employees of the Town who are giving their best performance day in and out?  How demotivating it must be for hard working employees to see this man, one of the Town's highest paid employees, being rewarded each year by upper management for delivering such terrible results! 


Keep mind that the cost to you and me is not just his salary.  Mr. Kallio's office will have other costs associated to it.  He is spending money on Main Street (from the last budget, approximately $160,000 was 'granted' annually to Main Street businesses with no benefit to our economy).  He lead a junket to Finland and Estonia to lure investment (with nothing to show from it).  It would not be hard to imagine well over $1,000,000 has been spent over these five years by the Town of Newmarket to create jobs with no results. 


The facts are laid bare.  The decision must be very clear.  The time is long over due for the Mayor to do what is right for taxpayers.  In the next few days, I expect the Mayor to admit to the failure of the Town staff to create jobs and fire those who are so ineffective.  Not only should the Economic Development Officer be let go, but also too the man he reports to, CAO Bob Shelton, for allowing this under performance to continue while businesses that could have meant significant opportunities for Newmarket decided to locate in Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Markham, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill instead. 

What happens to Newmarket if the Annex moves to Richmond Hill

The new Annex building slated to be built on the corner of Yonge and Eagle Streets appears to be in doubt according to a story published on line today:  http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5461194-put-new-facility-in-southern-york-urge-regional-councillors/

I hate to say it, but Councillors Jones and DiBiase are making a whole lot of sense.  If 80% of the people who need the services live in southern York Region, then it only makes sense that the services be located there and not Newmarket. 

It is hard to believe that many on York Region Council, particularly members from Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, (who hold the majority of seats on Council) would be opposed to making this change. 

But what would such a move from Newmarket to Richmond Hill mean for the local economy.  Not only would Newmarket lose another 1500 jobs, (joining an already long string of plant closures we've seen over recent years), but the spin off business to restaurants, retailers, and other businesses that rely on these employees as customers would be a tremendous loss. 

On Davis Drive, where many businesses are holding on by their finger nails already due to York Region's ill conceived bus lanes (and this project is coming very soon to Yonge Street too), a loss of 1500 customers could be the death knell to a number of small businesses and their employees' jobs. 

The ripple effect could be huge. 

It is surprising that Newmarket-Aurora MPP, Chris Ballard, himself once an Aurora Councillor, has not commented on the impending "gutting" of the Newmarket economy by the Regional government.  One might have expected more leadership from him. 

But for a Mayor like Tony Van Bynen who just a few months ago was promising to boost the economy with broadband internet, such a wave of job losses would cap off his legacy as the man who was in charge when the Newmarket economy imploded. 

Infill Developments of Two Local Golf Courses Result inTwo Different Outcomes

The Town of Aurora has received a development plan for the Aurora Highland Gate community.  You can read more about it here:  http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5455600-aurora-highland-gate-development-application-recieved-by-town/

The contrasts between the Glenway development in Newmarket and the Highland Gate development is a study in two different governments.

Newmarket took a no-truck-nor-trade negotiations approach with the Glenway developer signalling from early on that the matter would be settled at the OMB.  The resolution, as a result of a disastrous and ill conceived strategy promoted by the Mayor and Regional Councillor, is hundreds of new homes approved by the OMB to be shoehorned in place at the expense of the existing neighbourhoods. 

On the other hand, the Town of Aurora did not repeat Newmarket Council's mistakes.  Aurora wasn't adversarial with the developer.  And the developer proposes a thoughtful plan that includes walking trails, protection of environmentally sensitive lands, and fewer homes than what was previously expected. 

The Aurora Highland Gate plan still needs to be approved by the Town of Aurora, York Region, and the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority, but there appears to be a lot to be positive about the plan being proposed. 

If only Newmarket had leaders at Council who could achieve such results.