The second EML candidates forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture generated plenty of food for thought

As was the case last week with the Chamber of Commerce candidates meeting at the CASO station, only four of the seven individuals seeking to represent Elgin-Middlesex-London at Queen’s Park were on hand this past Wednesday for a similar forum hosted by the Elgin Federation of Agriculture.
A near-capacity crowd filed into the Old Town Hall Theatre in Aylmer for the event.
Rob Flack of the Progressive Conservative Party is looking to win a second term and is being challenged by Doug Mactavish, Liberal Party; Amanda Stark, Green Party; Brian Figueiredo, New Blue Ontario Party; Stephen R. Campbell, None of the Above Party; and Cooper Labrie, Ontario Party.
Amanda Zavitz, the NDP candidate, was not present and announced the following day that she was dropping out of the race. More on that situation is in the item below.

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‘The future is more like emergency housing or more supportive housing, not emergency shelters’ – Danielle Neilson, City of St. Thomas

A reiteration at the city council meeting this past Monday (Nov. 18) that The INN is not the answer to homelessness, it is strictly an emergency shelter.
The point was driven home – again – by Danielle Neilson, the city’s Manager of Housing Stability Services during a discussion of The INN’s ongoing operating budget.
It generated a bevy of questions from council members, kicked off by Coun. Steve Peters requesting clarification on the financial role of ElginCountyy.
“In our role as the social service provider and the housing provider on behalf of the County of Elgin, if at budget time we approve this, I take it there will be a share of those costs provided by the county?
Neilson responded in the affirmative.
“I am happy to confirm that there will be cost sharing between St. Thomas and the county, subject to the budget being approved.”

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Where your St. Thomas tax dollars are destined in 2019 (a lot are going to wages and benefits)

 city_scope_logo-cmykDirector of Finance David Aristone has made public the 2019 proposed operating and capital budgets, with city council due to begin deliberations 5 p.m. Monday (Jan. 7).
As outlined in the budget document, this year’s property tax levy is $52.3 million, an increase over last year of 1.8 per cent.
The capital budget target for 2019 is $4,045,000, up from $3.4 million in 2018. Proposed capital projects involve $23.5 million in expenditures.
Some of the key projects flagged for approval include the reconstruction of Elm Street, from Sunset Road to First Avenue at a cost of $8.8 million, none of which will come from the tax levy, but instead from development charges, reserves and water/sanitary/stormwater charges.
Same story for the complete streets program, budgeted for $7 million.

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