More Stories

So many stories. I literally am overwhelmed with so many things to tell you. Do not worry. I am trying to cover most of them all!

ANOTHER SCOOP FOR EH-CHANNEL NEWS

This is an older story.

Poor Windsor Star. Poor CKLW. It would appear that Daryl Newcombe is now the reporter of choice for the Mayor with respect to the Border. He gets the big scoops now. (Of course, we poor Bloggers are shut out again! We do not even get out-takes)

The Mayor told us through Eh-Channel that a “draft report he obtained contradicts DRIC's suggestion that Greenlink's longer tunnels are less safe than the parkway.”

A “draft” that contradicts a “suggestion.” Can anything be more damaging than that!

Mind you, you know what happened last time with respect to a draft letter and how Dr. Diamond destroyed Eddie’s position.

But Daryl should know that he mighted be dropped at any time so that he better ask for his bonus now.

THAT WILL SHOW THEM

Those CAW guys are standing tough alright. Yes sir, knuckle under or else:

• “Plant may close after workers reject concessions
  
  Under the current collective agreement, skilled trades workers at the plant earn an average of about $26 an hour, according to [Gerry Farnham, president of CAW Local 195], but [Randy Reaume, president and general manager of Windsor Match Plate & Tool Ltd] said wage rates are "closer to $32 and we've offered $28.
  
  "And unless we get an agreement on our offer, we will likely cease to exist," said Reaume.”

Just wait until the CAW goes after the Big Three. They may just teach those companies a lesson so that they can go into bankruptcy too.

Heck, with all of those new minimum wage call centre jobs coming to Windsor with the help of our friends at the Undevelopment Commission, the workers will have no problems finding new employment.

At least the workers had sense:

• "Fear of losing their jobs prompted workers at a Windsor autoparts maker to reject their union's recommendation and vote in favour of their employer's contract offer, a CAW spokeswoman said Monday."

ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD

I just don’t understand. Eddie Francis can say this:

• “Francis said the spending would be done on a per capita rather than job-by-job basis, allowing the city to get to work right away…
  
  Francis said the city has already identified $330 million in projects, including road, sewer and bridge repairs. The city is ready to kick in its one-third of the matching money, along with the one-third share already announced by the province.
  
  "We're ready to go," he said. "As soon as the federal government sends us the cheque we're ready to go and get the economy jolted."

Wait a minute, is the Mayor saying that we have $110 million available right now? Wow, if so, where did that money come from? More importantly, where is it showing up in the City’s Financial Statements?

I am certain however that that is not what the Mayor means. He probably calculated how much the City would get on a per capita basis and it is significantly less, or in a range that the City could probably pay for.

There is a small problem however. Remember the Tunnel Plaza Improvement agreement with the Senior Levels? Under that transaction each level of Government was to pay one third of the cost of $30 million IE the City’s portion was $10 million. My recollection is that the project is effectively on hold and will be on hold for several years.

If you will remember Eddie’s Wish List, the #1 item on that list was $10 million for the Tunnel.

What this means to me is that we do not have enough money in this City to pay for our #1 Project that has been outstanding for years yet our Mayor can find money for our one third amount for new Infrastructure projects.

Does anybody understand the City’s accounting system?

THE NEXT ANTI-BRIDGE COMPANY ACTION

I am sure that you saw the story in the Star today but may not have understood the significance of it:

• “Plan targets brownfield sites
  
  The city hopes to put the finishing touches on a plan that would provide financial incentives for redevelopment of vacant or abandoned properties.
  
  The plan would affect 132 properties covering more than 640 acres identified as “brownfield” properties, many of which are contaminated…
  
  Tasks to be completed before a draft financial incentives program can be brought to council for approval include establishing priority sites across Windsor..
  
  Of the 132 sites identified, a dozen are more than 10 acres. As well, 70 per cent of the sites are concentrated in four clusters — the port waterfront area of Olde Sandwich”

We are told as well:

• “The city hopes to have a revitalization plan complete in six months.”

Accordingly, if there is a successful appeal of the Heritage Plan or the CIP or if the Bridge Company gets their Environmental Assessment approval, then the City has another weapon at its disposal.

After all, Sandwich is such an important area for this City.

WHAT IF THE PROJECTS HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED

In the Star the other day, we saw two interesting stories:

1. “Funding OK’d for bridge twin”
2. “DRIC says parkway will improve quality of life.”

Chances are that thousands of people would be working, house prices would be going up, foreclosures would be less, hotels and restaurants would be full, apartments would be rented, stores would not be closing but might actually be opening… just add to the list.

TELL ME AGAIN WHY WE NEED P3s

I remember that the big reason for their involvement is that the private P3 investors can finance all these fantastic programs that the Government cannot afford. That was then, here is now:

• “AGREEMENT-IN-PRINCIPLE REACHED FOR PORT MANN PROJECT
  
  VICTORIA – The provincial government has reached an agreement-in-principle for a public-private partnership to expand the Port Mann crossing and widen Highway 1, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon announced today.
  
  “The Port Mann Bridge and the Highway 1 corridor is a critical transportation link that our government is expanding to meet current and future demand,” said Falcon. “This agreement means road users will benefit from safer and more efficient travel along that corridor, while taxpayers will benefit from private sector innovation and the transfer of risk for any cost overruns, construction delays or revenue shortfalls.”
  
  The Province will provide about one-third of the financing required for the project, standing behind a significant equity investment from the private sector partner, and on the same terms and conditions as the banks providing debt financing. "

In other words, the Australians who were supposed to finance his project cannot do so because of the economic meltdown and the significant increase in costs. I wonder if those were the same Australians who are speaking with MDOT to educate them about P3s. After this fiasco, I hope that MDOT and the Senate Republicans and Democrats have learned something.

The only private-sector innovation I see is suckering the Province to put in a third of the funds. As for transfer of risk, if the project goes broke been the Province is in for one third of the amount of the loss since they are putting up one third of the financing.

That ONE THIRD concept really gets around doesn’t it.

Speaking of construction delays, private enterprise is supposed to be able to construct better than Government. I have to congratulate MDOT on their management of the Ambassador Gateway project and wonder if private enterprise could have done better. As was stated in their recent newsletter:

• “The real news is that the project is 70 percent complete and running well ahead of schedule,” said MDOT Metro Region Engineer Greg Johnson. “If we continue at our current pace, we may well re-open the freeway earlier than the projected December 2009 date.”

IMMINENT EMINENCE ACTION

Lots of secret meetings going on at the airport. I heard that security people were scouting out the area.

Could it be that Councillor Loopy was successful in having the US President down here.

Sorry, no. I believe it was the Red Bull people checking things out before Eddie made his big announcement.

Now if we can only figure out who is putting up the millions for the sponsorship so the Province won't have to backstop it.