WeACT Counts

Huh? What? Eh? What the heck is going on? Citizens actually have a strong voice in Windsor.

Do you read Gord Henderson's column on Saturday? If you did, then you know that the politicians are terrified of WeACT!

If you think that a bunch of citizens can't get what they want in this City than all you need to do is take a look at what the proposed property tax rate is supposed to be. Of course that .95% is a phony number since you have to add in the various levies that so far the Mayor has not talked about. But it is a start.

The beginning of Henderson's column was a shocker

• "Step up and take a bow if you were one of those curmudgeons who spent August and September popping blood vessels over that stunning 86-per-cent hike in water rates imposed by the Windsor Utilities Commission.
  
  To give credit where credit is due, it was the collective ranting of outraged WUC customers that helped stiffen the spines of Windsor councillors and made them determined, come hell or high water bills, to deliver one of the lowest property tax increases in the province, if not the lowest. Those shock waves of indignation rattled even the most pro-union and pro-spending councillors and injected some much needed steel into their left-leaning spines.
  
  No question about it. Some won't be satisfied with the 0.95 per cent tax hike - $25 on the average tax bill - sanctioned this week. Hardliners will argue there should be more blood on the floor to achieve a freeze or, better yet, significant tax cuts, given Windsor's economic woes."

This was from a guy who only a few months ago was an apologist for the Mayor on the Windsor Utilities Commission matter and praising him for doing the tough things. I'm sure that Gord will be just as disgusted as everyone else in this City will be when the Ministry whitewash audit is brought forward shortly. Here is how Gord tried to explain away things at the time:

• "Now, three years into cleaning up this mess, Francis, Zalev and others are being eviscerated for taking the unpopular actions others dodged over the years.
  
  "They're shooting the messenger. We're the ones finding all this stuff out and they want to kill us," sighed Zalev. "That's OK," he added. "I come from a rough and tumble business and I'm used to getting banged around."
  
  That's just as well, because no matter how obvious and pressing the need, people will never say thanks for raising prices and making their lives more difficult."

The word used in Henderson's column "curmudgeons" is a buzzword that a number of people in Windsor will recognize because it identifies one of the members of WeACT, Al Nelman. That is a clear reference to WeACT but Gord feels that he cannot go further and mention the name of Chris Schnurr and the WeACT group. Politics are politics after all in Windsor and he does not want to be branded as the leader of the Star Rogues.

His last line of the column is the one that is going to be most appropriate

• "Stick around. The budget is pretty much settled. But the fun is just beginning."

He knows why the budget was slashed and so do the politicians. It was only cut so dramatically AFTER WeACT announced that January 9, 2008 was going to be TAX CUT NOW day in Windsor. The giving out of hundreds of TAX CUT NOW stickers by WeACT volunteers around the City did not hurt either!

Do you want to know what is even more interesting. As a matter of fact, my understanding is that WeACT has asked the Mayor to proclaim January 9 TAX CUT NOW day in Windsor at a Council meeting.

Let's see if that is done or whether City Hall will censor that proclamation. If it does, then you will know how strong WeACT and the curmudgeons really are.

Now you know how WeACT can help you. You need to help WeACT too. Your donation may be paid into the WeACT Legal Fund by visiting any branch of the Royal Bank and making a deposit to Account #08152-1008275. Donations can be made anonymously too.