Turkey Leftovers

The Americans have just finished Thanksgiving. I, like them, have some leftovers to finish off . Here goes:

I like Lewenza's reasoning

I grow some tomatoes in my garden, not a lot mind you, but enough to make some bruschetta or to put in a salad. I also pay out some money for charities when the neighbour's kids come by to sell me a chocolate bar or some cookie dough to raise money for their school.

Accordingly, using Ken Senior's logic, I should have my property re-assessed as "agricultural" or at the least have my property taxes reduced so I can continue buying these sweets!

Is this the logic used when CAW 444 negotiates with Chrysler or the Casino? It will be hilarious to watch Councillors squirming too. I wonder if the Mayor will vote.

MDOT's Gloria Jeff

Gloria Jeff is director of the Michigan Department of Transportation and a key player in the border crossing game. I first met her when my colleague and I did a Presentation to Detroit City Council on the border some time ago. (Sheeeeeeeeesh, we can meet their Council and our Council still has not done so).

Her introductory remarks were fascinating since she told Council straight out that IF there was going to be another crossing other than at the Ambassador Bridge, someone would have to come up with several hundred milion dollars to replicate what was done at the Ambassador Gateway project.

WWJ reported on Saturday that Jeff may be leaving her job. I had heard rumours before about her and Governor Granholm not getting along. According to WWJ, The Governor's Office apparently said to ask Jeff if she was going.

What does it mean for the border? My view---the Governor is going to be a lot more hands on than before. She made the announcement killing 8 of the routes after all, not Ms Jeff thereby scooping the process! And she knows that she is in a financial crisis especially over roads. (eg Detroit News: Granholm, GOP spar over what's best for Michigan roads...Governor puts focus on fixing existing roads; Republicans say failure to build stifles growth)

Do you really think the Governor is going to spend all of that money on NEW international border infrastructure when Michigan roads need improvement.

Poor Sandra Pupatello

She's between a rock and a hard place.

She has to be perceived as helping Sandwich since it is part of her Constituency, yet she has to appear "neutral" or she can be accused of prejudicing the Bi-national process. (Perhaps that is why the rumoured Sandra/Dwight press conference about the border BEFORE the recent announcement never took place)

"Trust DRIC' is what Sandra supposedly said at a recent meeting in Sandwich. Sure sounds a lot like what Susan Whelan had to say as a Cabinet member when the JMC proposal was first disclosed and she had to take the heat politically for their fiasco.

Now perhaps Sandra knows how Susan must have felt and remembers what happened to her at the last election! Sandra better find a way out soon or....

West Side Logic

I wonder if the rumours are true that Mary Ann Cuderman is going to run for Council in Ward 2 on her "Save Sandwich" platform. (No, not that kind of sandwich from her bakery!)

She is getting almost as much press as Councillor STOPDRTP did before he announced that he was going to run, (although he has been very silent over the past 2 years on what got him elected.) Using the border keeps her name in front of constituents more than the elected Councillors---not a bad strategy.

Oh she will get her way. No one is really going through Sandwich but the question remains where will the new crossing go?

Paradoxically, she may be the person who does the most to build the Twinned Bridge, the last thing she wants to happen! Her strong support of the South Bridge, when it had little chance of success, and her disclosure of all of the problems at Prospect mean that there is only one place where the new crossing can logically go! After all, she can hardly support a bridge that destroys Delray when she rallies so strongly for the Sandwich community!

So wouldn't it be really ironic if Mary Ann, not the Mayor or Brian Masse or the two Ward Councillors today, finally sees the light and demands that negotiations immediately commence with the Bridge Co. She would demand an "enhancement" of the road to the Twinned Bridge to alleviate any negatives and that they spend money to redevelop Sandwich as in SW Detroit and create jobs.

Heck, I might even buy her famous brownies from her bakery if she did that!

This could work for Sandra too now that I think of it. (I vaguely remember some Provincial Liberals suggesting this idea quite some time ago too).

Let's see who becomes the border heroine: Sandra, Caroline or Mary Ann?

Sutts Strosberg Ads

My old law firm was never this nice!

They never ran a bunch of ads for me in the local press talking about my "long-standing commitment and dedication to our community" the way that the firm did for Werner Keller.

Cabana Road Truck Semi-Expressway

Remember Gord Henderson's column on the victory on Howard Avenue "Speaking of Cabana, foes of a similar plan for that primarily residential road were at council Monday night cheering on their Howard Avenue allies and feeding off the thrill of victory while girding for the city's next big street fight."

5 lanes were wanted initially, citizens wanted 3 so they compromised on 4! Yea right!

Anyway, here is the road that can be used for international trucks instead of E C Row when the new Huron Church route to the bridge is being built!

Canada South Science City

How will Councillor Brister vote on this matter? Darn Gord Henderson....he did not write a column on Saturday. Remember Councillor, "Pocketbook benefits... through increased tourism."

A Globe and Mail story says that "Anticipation is high in Toronto that the federal and provincial governments will announce within the next few weeks a commitment of at least $100-million to the capital costs of six cultural organizations."

That snub costs us again!

Is Chrysler moving its HQ?

The Company has done studies before like this I am sure as most companies do eg is it better for an oil company to stay in Ontario or to move its HQ out west where the oil is (and where taxes are lower too)? Is it better to move jobs to the US to consolidate operations there or to have more functions in Canada as a "cheaper" alternative...stuff like that!

Notice that the news story was written by Gord Henderson. Obviously, someone was very concerned that it was going to happen and to happen soon. Now that it was leaked, I would not expect it to happen for some time, probably not until after the next municipal election at least.

Who would want to have Chrysler leave town on his/her mayoral watch!