A Charitable Handout And A Choice

Given the distinguished readership of this BLOGsite, I was asked to post the Mission Statement of the "Save Our Community Services" group. It is a group set up to "educate the public, because we believe it is critical that the community understand the horrific impact caused by the sudden decline in bingo revenue to our 650 organizations and the thousands we serve."

I will comment afterwards on what they are trying to do and will provide an alternative approach suggested by Chris Schnurr a candidate for Council in Ward 2 who has some experience in this matter because of what he has done in the past.

• MISSION STATEMENT
  
  To organize and mobilize our charities, demanding the provincial, federal or municipal government provide:
  1. Immediate emergency transitional funding for the continuance of our community services here in Windsor/Essex County
  2. A plan to safeguard the provision of community services to those most at risk in our community".

Bob McGuire, co-executive director of Windsor Family Forum, one of the leaders involved was quoted in the Star:

• "He said the province has a larger-than-expected surplus in revenues and can afford to write a cheque that will lessen the impact of the sudden decline in bingo revenue for 650 organizations and the thousands of people they serve.
  
  "They've got extra money and they're the ones who killed this industry that generated money for our charities," McGuire said, referring to the provincewide smoking ban."

His remark was logical, compelling and quite appropriate for a border City like Windsor where charities receive so much money from Bingo. He wants short-term cash assistance while the charitites work out a solution. However, I doubt that the Group will be taken seriously at all by Government.

There is no hope whatsoever of the Group receiving any money from our Budgeteers on Council. Oh the Councillors will posture for the cameras, shed the crocodile tears and say how horrible it is for our citizens but the City's finances have to come first. Charity does not begin at Council for these people.

As for the Province, if our local Ministers, Sandra and Dwight, do not have the clout to help out businessess in financial trouble because of the miseries we are seeing in Windsor, they will not help out charities no matter how logical the argument. It's not time yet anyway. As Dwight Duncan said in relation to the No Smoking laws and financial hardship:

• "It will be an initially short-term decline, but things will pick up. In six months, we'll see who's right and who's wrong...we will monitor this very carefully."

So all you will get from the Province is to hang in there folks.

If a handout is not the answer, then what is?

I was very impressed by a note I received from Chris Schnurr who has decided that he wants to represent Ward 2 on Council. In speaking with him, a lot of what he wants to do differs from the incumbents by a considerable degree. Ward 2 residents will now have a choice of approaches so it may be a more interesting race in Ward 2 than I thought at first. Here is what he has to say:

• Supporting our Charities
  
  Having worked in the non-profit sector for the last 8 years, I fully appreciate the challenges facing local charities. While at the AIDS Committee of Sarnia, from 1998-2001, we faced a similar crisis that required innovative strategies to overcome these challenges. I welcome the creation of “Save our Community Services” as an important first step to address the challenges facing local non-profits.
  
  However, we have to accept that approaching local taxpayers to support charities is not the only option. The City of Windsor and the Province of Ontario, after close study, may not be in a financial position to address this situation adequately. City of Windsor taxpayers already pay some of the highest taxes in the province, and as we have seen over the last few years we can expect to see reductions in service after this new council is elected.
  
  Current city council has not given us the complete picture regarding our financial situation. Overall debt is expected to increase substantially to well over $210 million in 2007. Councillors have openly admitted this may result in increased taxes in 2007 – conveniently after they have passed their pre-election 2006 budget.
  
  If our city’s economy continues its downturn, city council will face both a growing need for the services of our charity organizations and taxpayers unable to afford any increase in taxes.
  
  As a group of charities, we need to seek innovative long-term solutions, to the dependence on gambling revenue – which is unpredictable and subject to changing market conditions.
  
  1. Seek to determine overlap in services, combine resources where applicable, and foster inter-charity co-operation administratively;
  2. Lobby for the creation of a long-term investment fund, supported by local industry, labour and individuals;
  3. Establish a non-profit support network for fundraising to collectively raise funds for common causes;
  4. Co-operatively create centers for non-profits and negotiate with leasing companies in our downtown to fill empty office space. Business owners may be willing to negotiate affordable rates for groups of struggling charities; and/or
  5. Lobby the United Way to relax qualification criteria for member agencies.