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  #21  
Old Posted Dec 16, 2012, 7:45 PM
durandy durandy is offline
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But given that overinvestment, why then this rush toward laying down rail lines? I get a sense that many who love LRT just love trains. Yet conceivably you could make a BRT system that would have all the capacity and right of way of LRT, yet would be more versatile. So what's the advantage of having metal rails? So instead of LRT, what about instead providing dedicated lanes on all streets for high occupancy vehicles and transit?
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  #22  
Old Posted Dec 17, 2012, 2:39 AM
CaptainKirk CaptainKirk is offline
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Because, supposedly, there is more benefit to LRT even though it costs more.
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  #23  
Old Posted Jan 12, 2013, 11:38 PM
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Funding for some major Stoney Creek projects announced (2013 - 2022):

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Originally Posted by MeIsThomas View Post
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- $400,000 will be spent every year up to 2022 to implement the Olde Stoney Creek Urban Design Plan, a blueprint that was approved by the former City of Stoney Creek prior to amalgamation

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- $200,000 has been allocated to begin renovating King Street from Battlefield to Applewood starting in 2013

- $1.7 million is scheduled to be spent to improve King Street from Battlefield to Lake Avenue in 2014

- $2.6 million earmarked for King Street to Applewood in 2015

- $150,000 set aside for a renovation of the bridge at King Street East and Elm Avenue

- A portion of Lake Avenue is expected to be reconstructed with $100,000 identified in 2013. Another $1.4 million will be spent in 2014 to complete the project

- $1.11 million will be spent in upper Stoney Creek where Highland Road West will see major construction beginning in 2013

- $330,000 will be used to create a roundabout at Isaac Brock and First Road West in 2013

- $400,000 will be used in 2014 to complete the Heritage Green Phase II project

- $250,000 will be used for the bridge at Collegiate Avenue and Donn Avenue and the project is expected to be completed by 2015 over a 2 year period.

- $9.5 million will be spent replacing the bridge at Centennial Parkway. The project will begin in 2013 and take more than two years to complete.

- $2.7 million will be spent redeveloping Barton Street from Nash Road to Centennial in 2013

- $2.6 million will be spent improving Centennial Parkway from Arrowsmith Road to Goderich Road in 2013

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Dominic Agostino Riverdale Community Centre Expansion:
- $250,000 set aside for the expansion in 2017, with another $2.1 million in 2018

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Valley Park Expansion:
- $300,000 going toward the Valley Park Community Centre expansion in 2014, while another $2 million has been identified for the project in 2015
- $100,000 for the Valley Park Library renewal in 2014, while another $1.6 million is slated for the library in 2015

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Winona Recreation Centre:
- $2 million set aside for 2016 for the project
- $19 million is scheduled to be used for the centre in 2017
- $250,000 will be spent on phase two of the redevelopment of Winona Park in 2016

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  #24  
Old Posted Mar 14, 2013, 1:10 PM
thistleclub thistleclub is offline
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Hamilton hits surplus fifth year out of six
(Hamilton Mountain News, Kevin Werner, Mar 11 2013)

For the fifth year out of six, the city of Hamilton has recorded its second-largest budget surplus. City financial staff told politicians last week they were projecting a total $11.4 surplus for the year, combining its tax and rate supported services. It is the second highest surplus the city has had since 2007. Last year the surplus reached $15 million, the highest over the last five years. In 2010, the surplus was $5.2 million, while in 2007 it was $5.4 million and $7.4 million in 2008. The city recorded a budget deficit of $3.3 million in 2009.

The city saved about $8.5 million in capital financing, and another $5 million from the public works budget, mainly because of lower winter control, and waste processing costs. The city also had declining Ontario Works caseloads, delays in recreation openings, and savings from social housing subsidy payments, for a total of about $2.8 million. Another $1.7 million was saved by delaying the hiring of people for vacant positions. Some of the savings were offset by $12 million in tax write-offs the city was forced to do this year. It was also a poor year for business and trade license revenues, and there was a parking revenue shortfall.

The 2012 surplus will be shifted to various department reserve funds, city finance staff said. The city has seen its reserve funds nearly depleted after councillors dipped into them one time too often, particularly from the Tax Stabilization Reserve or the Unallocated Capital Reserve. Before he departed for the city of Toronto, former corporate services general manager Robert Rossini told councillors last December that politicians’ decisions to use reserve funds to pay for tax-supported programs has hit financial bottom this year. Council had agreed to increase user fees this year in order to replenish the planning department fee stabilization reserve fund. Staff used the remaining $2.1 million to cover higher staff salary costs. “Using the reserves is not sustainable,” said Rossini.
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  #25  
Old Posted Mar 14, 2013, 5:43 PM
coalminecanary coalminecanary is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by durandy View Post
But given that overinvestment, why then this rush toward laying down rail lines? I get a sense that many who love LRT just love trains. Yet conceivably you could make a BRT system that would have all the capacity and right of way of LRT, yet would be more versatile. So what's the advantage of having metal rails? So instead of LRT, what about instead providing dedicated lanes on all streets for high occupancy vehicles and transit?
Putting rails down sends a signal that a permanent municipal investment is being made into a specific corridor. This is why development is spurred along LRT lines but not along bus lines..
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  #26  
Old Posted Mar 14, 2013, 9:26 PM
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Jon Dalton Jon Dalton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by durandy View Post
Yet conceivably you could make a BRT system that would have all the capacity and right of way of LRT, yet would be more versatile. So what's the advantage of having metal rails?
Lower operating costs.
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  #27  
Old Posted Mar 15, 2013, 11:01 AM
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Dr Awesomesauce Dr Awesomesauce is offline
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Buses don't attract riders
Buses don't attract investment
Buses don't attract new business
Buses are more expensive to operate
Buses are noxious and noisome
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  #28  
Old Posted Mar 25, 2013, 6:29 PM
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SteelTown SteelTown is offline
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Hamilton homeowners facing average $68 tax increase
CBC News
Posted: Mar 21, 2013 11:47 AM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/economy/s...-march-21.html

The burden on Hamilton taxpayers has been lifted a little more with a new draft budget for the city.

Staff have found savings that will reduce the budget increase to 1.9 per cent over last year, a $68 increase on the average household. The previous version of the budget called for a 2.5-per cent increase, or $75 more than last year for the owner of a $266,200 home.

The change reflects, among other savings, a smaller than expected Ontario Works caseload and winter control budget.

The year-end totals for 2012 are available now, and they weren't at the start of the budget process, city manager Chris Murray said.

“Because of that, we've been able to look at the books more closely and come to you with these further savings.”

Councillors deliberated the budget at a general issues committee meeting Thursday. A big item was the budget for Hamilton Entertainment and Convention Facilities Inc. (HECFI), which projects no savings for 2013.

This worried some councillors. HECFI's properties will be managed by new parties this year — Copps Coliseum and Hamilton Place by Global Spectrum/Live Nation, the Hamilton Convention Centre by Carmen's Inc. Both promised savings in their bids.

Both groups have said 2013 will be a transitional year. Councillors voted Jan. 31 to allow Carmen's to apply for $450,546 and Global Spectrum $110,000 to cover any losses this year.

Mike Zegarac, interim head of finance, will come back to the general issues committee the first week of April to elaborate on why there would be no savings.

“We asked the transition team if there were any potential savings,” Zegarac said. The team told him “there were no potential savings to incorporate in the 2013 budget.”

But Coun. Brian McHattie wanted to press the groups for some cost reductions, especially in light of HECFI staff being laid off.

“They have reduced staff to the detriment of those families,” he said. “It [the transition to private management] was done for the benefit of the taxpayer. If that's not the case, we need to seriously query what we've bought into.”

Budget deliberations are scheduled to continue on April 4, with final approval on April 10.
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  #29  
Old Posted Mar 28, 2013, 1:17 AM
thistleclub thistleclub is offline
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Police budget a ‘shell game’
(Hamilton Spectator, Andrew Dreschel, Mar 27 2013)

To borrow a line from Jorge Borges, the sweat-it-out struggle over the police budget is starting to look like two bald men fighting over a comb.

After all, city councillors on one side and Chief Glenn De Caire and the police service board on the other are only about $262,000 apart in terms of dollars.

At least that’s how it looks on the surface. But, like an iceberg, it’s what lies beneath that counts.

Let’s do this by the numbers and you’ll see what I mean.

Back in February, by a vote of 5-2, the police board approved a 3.71 per cent increase for the 2013 police operating/capital budget.

That represents an increase of $5 million over 2012 for a total budget of $140,675,370.

Last week, in response, Councillors Bernie Morelli and Terry Whitehead — the two dissenting police board members — brought forward a motion for a committee of council’s consideration calling for an increase of 3.52 per cent.

That represents an increase over 2012 of about $4.7 million for a total budget of $140,414,620.

Councillors postponed their next move until they could confirm some information and ask police board members and De Caire some questions.

But, as you can see, the difference between the two positions is only about $262,000.

So what’s the big deal, given the total size of the budget? Why risk a potential showdown which could see the whole dispute end up at a panel hearing before the Ontario Civilian Police Commission?

Here’s why: The police board-approved budget boils down to what Whitehead has quite rightly called a “shell game.”

The 3.71 per cent increase is based on De Caire hiring 20 new officers for 2013 but carrying over the majority cost of the hires to the 2014 budget.

Under the chief’s proposal, the new officers will add $511,750 to the 2013 budget but financial pressures of more than $1 million to the 2014 budget.

In other words, next year taxpayers will pay the piper double what the tune cost this year.
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  #30  
Old Posted Mar 28, 2013, 2:11 PM
durandy durandy is offline
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Jesus. Just scrap these stupid fake democratic police and school boards and make the executive decisions. They're happening anyway. These boards give a pallor of legitimacy to what is a totally crooked process.
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