Mayor Bob Bratina

[ScreamingViking]

The It Got Me Elected Last Time strategy

[thistleclub]

Will the real Bob Bratina please stand up?
(Hamilton Spectator, Andrew Dreschel, Jan 9 2014)

If Bob Bratina could take his Wednesday state of the city address with him on the 2014 campaign trail, he'd probably be a shoo-in for a second term as mayor.

On the other hand, if he hit the road with his performance from later that same day at a news conference on amalgamation, he'd run the risk of either being laughed or ridden out of town on a rail.

It was as if we were witnessing two Bratinas in action.

Morning Bob's presentation to the Chamber of Commerce was a focused display rooted in city achievements, optimism and some pretty effective sound bites that would make great election slogans. Convincingly portraying the city as being in the middle of "one of the most dynamic urban transformations" in Canada, Bratina said the go-to word for this new Hamilton is "confidence."

Afternoon Bob was a different creature altogether, full of confusions, evasions and mixed messages about where he stood on the hoary old topic of deamalgamation. In one breath he stated "nothing is a dead issue," and in the next he said he's not out to break Hamilton up, that he's mayor to "heal the rifts that divide us."

Does that mean he doesn't want to see deamalgamation occur?

"Well, I wouldn't say that. I think Hamilton is a great city and the amalgamated city has great potential. But I can tell you there are a lot of people who are not happy."

It was hard not to laugh out loud over the inconsistency of it all. How can the same mayor praise the city and then some six hours later be open to seeing it dismantled?


Read it in full here.

[ScreamingViking]

That is the real Bratina, isn't it?

[matt602]

Bob, where have you been hiding for the past 4 years? Oh yeah. Brokering deals with the Ti-Cats and undermining LRT. Smells like election time.

[bigguy1231]

This is going to be an election issue in both the provincial and municipal elections over the next year and you can be sure that any party provincially that says they are going to raise taxes to pay for these improvements will be soundly defeated. As it is we are probably going to end up with another minority government and given that the NDP and PC's are both opposed to increased taxes for public transit the plan of the current government will not come to fruition unless they find the monies needed from within the current revenue sources.

Less than 20% of the population uses public transit, even in the GTA and I am willing to bet that most of the other 80% don't care about them and have no desire to pay for that 20% to have improved transit.

At the municipal level despite the screaming of a relative few there is very little desire for LRT and it will be a tough sell for council. Most councilors see that and are backing off rather than risk losing their jobs over a single issue.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Quite.

So, if you were advising the Eisenbergers and McHatties of this world, how would you suggest they spin their support for LRT? When you've got somebody screaming about taxes, it's pretty hard to counter that.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^Quite.

So, if you were advising the Eisenbergers and McHatties of this world, how would you suggest they spin their support for LRT? When you've got somebody screaming about taxes, it's pretty hard to counter that.

Unfortunately for them there is no good way to spin it. There is going to have to be a fundamental shift in thinking in this city before people would be willing to accept paying more. As of now we don't really have a congestion problem in this city and until we do people won't see a need.

[CaptainKirk]

Easy spin.

We, in Hamilton, are paying anyway. The city has absolutely no say in that matter. We've been told we cannot opt out.

Do you want us to lobby for as much of that money as possible for Hamilton, or should we just say no thanks and pay for higher order transit for the rest of 905 and GTA?

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

Easy spin.

We, in Hamilton, are paying anyway. The city has absolutely no say in that matter. We've been told we cannot opt out.

Do you want us to lobby for as much of that money as possible for Hamilton, or should we just say no thanks and pay for higher order transit for the rest of 905 and GTA?

The Liberals don't currently have the votes to establish new taxes. What do you not get about that.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

As of now we don't really have a congestion problem in this city and until we do people won't see a need.

Burt business here do. Timely movement of goods throughoutt the GTHA is essential for the Hamilton economy.

AEGD is no good unless you can move your goods efficiently.

It's really very fundamental.

[markbarbera]

Of late, this thread has gotten a little off track. The discussion has become about debating LRT and has moved away from its original intention as a forum for attacking Mayor Bratina. Can we please get back on topic?

edit:no tongues were harmed while being planted firmly in one's cheek while typing this post

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

Burt business here do. Timely movement of goods throughoutt the GTHA is essential for the Hamilton economy.

AEGD is no good unless you can move your goods efficiently.

It's really very fundamental.

Then raise corporate taxes to pay for it. If the corporate taxes weren't lowered over the past couple of decades we would have had all that we need in place to deal with increased congestion.

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Unfortunately for them there is no good way to spin it.

Yes there is: Economic development.

As of now we don't really have a congestion problem in this city and until we do people won't see a need.

Transit congestion. Anyone who rides the #2 or King / B-line buses knows it.

It's always assumed that transit exists to solve motorists' problems. That it does, but as well as helping cars move a bit easier, it helps a lot of people move who otherwise wouldn't. If the transit itself is congested, that's as much of a problem as general traffic congestion.

But yeah, people on the mountain don't give a f*&k, right? Problem is it affects them anyway. People need to get to schools and hospitals (our top two employers). The new meat and bread plants that are saving our economy need their employees to show up. Many if not most need transit to get there.

Because the economy depends on mobility for all citizens, good transit is necessary for economic development. In a metro our size, this means moving past the limits of a bus-only transit system.

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Yes there is: Economic development.

...Because the economy depends on mobility for all citizens, good transit is necessary for economic development. In a metro our size, this means moving past the limits of a bus-only transit system.

The people who tend to vote for people like Bratina often practically take pride in their opposing anything for welfare bums. It's important not to ever for a second suggest that they might be right that transit is anything akin to a social service. It absolutely isn't. It's a necessary prerequisite to an economy that functions efficiently because all of its participants can participate fully.

You put it very well. People can't get to jobs, they can't earn money, they can't pay taxes, they can't spend money, our economy suffers. Simple.

[thistleclub]

Ask MPPs for their view on amalgamation, Bratina tells Flamborough chamber
(Flamborough Review, Kevin Werner, Mar 28 2014)

Never say never to Flamborough de-amalgamating from the city of Hamilton, says Mayor Bob Bratina.

Bratina, who recently announced he won’t seek re-election this fall, says it’s not inconceivable that someday Flamborough may not be part of Hamilton in the future, citing pushes for separation in both Quebec and Scotland.

“To say no way ever again will Flamborough ever be disconnected from the city I’m not prepared to say that,” Bratina told about 30 residents during a Flamborough Chamber of Commerce round table event March 18 at the North Wentworth Arena.

While he isn’t encouraging de-amalgamation, all Bratina wants is the province to review amalgamation to see if it has helped or hurt the six municipalities that merged in 2001.

“I’m prepared to say I’m working hard to see Flamborough and Waterdown gets treated fairly and we will see where we will go from there,” he said.

Bratina pointed out one oddity that Flamborough residents can relate to.

Carlisle’s water supply is not fluoridated. But should Carlisle residents be charged for paying to fluoridate water for the rest of Hamilton?

“I was never in favour of (amalgamation),” he told the gathering in a wide-ranging talk. “I’m proud to be a mayor of a city that is working well. Still there may be some inequities that need to be addressed.”

During his State of the City address in downtown Hamilton in January, Bratina was criticized for bringing up the idea of amalgamation after years of relatively peaceful co-existence between the suburban and urban politicians. He hosted a university professor who has studied the impact of amalgamated municipalities in Ontario the same day after delivering his State of the City address. He felt the severe complaints were unjustified since he believes it’s time the impact of amalgamation on Hamilton should be investigated.

Read it in full here.

[ScreamingViking]

No disrespect to the people of Flamborough, but

How many times is this clown going to bring this up? How many people actually believe what he says on the issue any more?

Maybe the speculation he'll run federally against Christopherson was premature... and he really has his sights set on a Sweet district slightly to the west.