It says...
"We’re allowing one vote per IP address, to reduce the chance of vote-rigging."
The Edmonton Journal Blog Poll is a classic example of something that is rigged. And its so easy to do. First of all, you have to remember that the Don Iveson camp of people are very technical. Many appear to have an exceptional understanding of just how HTML (the web programming language) is used.
And really, anyone who has this ability... and there are a LOT out there who do... can easily manipulate all forms of online polls. It's very easy to create a web script that would monitor "poll results", and then when someone else other than "your favorite person" gets a vote... your script will run and add in 2 or 3 or more votes for "your person".
I've watched this poll for several hours, at varying points of time during the day and evening. And I got curious when I would see one vote increase, and then the next refresh would show a few more being padded on to another selection. So I decided to do some experimentation. And I will explain to you just how easy it is to do.
EJ gives a big clue.. "one vote per IP".. which implies they are not using "cookies" to see if you have already voted. I mean, all one would have to do is delete that cookie, and vote again... And they want you to think that they kind of have that problem solved, by tracking peoples IP addresses. After all, the honest person typically has one, maybe two IP's that their ISP (service provider) has assigned. For the most part, those seldom change but that depends on the service you use. Some ISP's will assign a new IP every time you turn your system on.
This is so easy to get around. The simple "form" is to use a proxy server. What this is, is a place you go to on the internet, and instead of you 'speaking' directly to a web page (or other service), you speak to the proxy server, and it passes your request along... the response to that request is directed back to the proxy server, which then directs the information back to you. Even if you have no clue and are not a "geeky" person, you CAN still do this easily.
Do a search on "TOR" .. you will find a link to the TOR project, that will install software on your windows or mac or linux or android device. When you run TOR, it will make connections to various proxy servers for you, automatically... and then a web page will appear on your system showing you what your "new" IP address is. In my windows system, I use FireFox as my default browser, and there is a little tool bar on the top of the browser that has a little 'command tool'.. More on that in a minute.
So now that your proxy browser is open, you go to the poll address, and make your vote. Once your vote has been "cast", you use this command menu, and select "a new identity". TOR will close, and then re-open again, showing you yet a totally different IP. You can then go back to the poll site, and cast another vote.
And you can repeat this as many times as you want to. Its THAT easy to do.
Now, this is a manual process. Those 'in-the-know' folks seem to have done that type of thing, but they appear to be using an automated script. After all, isn't that one of the prime functions of a computer? To take the manual chores away...
Of course, this is all speculation on my part. I'm certainly not accusing anyone of doing this, for the only "proof" I have is watching the end result.
A result that is clearly biased and complete inaccurate. And as EJ points out, its no where near a credible scientific survey. So my question now is... why do they still run it? Is it perhaps they are also biased and are having some fun in trying to manipulate voters into believing something that is clearly a farce?
Just my opinion... this is a joke. And to keep running it... well.. it speaks volumes on the lack of credibility and more on the concept of grandstanding.
If only we could have the truth...
p.s. .. In testing, I voted for Kerry 3 times, watching Don's count go up by 12.. and several minutes passed between each vote, always refreshing to see if the numbers had changed between votes, and they had not. And to just add a little fun in, I voted for Don 122 times. After each of those votes, his numbers only increased by one... the one I cast.
Getting back to some basic common sense values for life, politics and justice. Encouraging honesty, integrity and accountability within all levels of Government, along with the transparency of the processes used to reach the decisions made.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Why I would never vote for Don Iveson
1) He professes to listen, but has selective hearing for only those that promote his ideas.
2) Over the years, he's been a supportive part of the Mandel destructive bandwagon, which has resulted in a broken down city, while developers prosper, and seniors and others on fixed incomes suffer.
3) He's proud of the green promotion, spouting figures about how much pollution has been lowered, yet fails to realize or acknowledge how traffic light timings promote gridlock, increase greenhouse gasses, and cause huge amounts of extra dollars to all drivers, in increased wasted gasoline usage and longer travel times.
4) He refuses to listen to citizen ideas for improving the traffic flow that surface LRT destroys.
5) He would rather bash a citizen that expressed concern over the death of a baby (likely) due to the "screw you" attitude over voting to close the most needed runway at the City Center Airport... rather than showing compassion for the situation.
6) He has many suggestions and policies to "fix" the things that he voted to break.
7) He refused to listen to the experts who lived and worked at the City Center Airport, instead he choose to believe biased and slanted reports that were ordered by council. Watch as the reclamation costs soar to well over 10 times what was estimated, while probably adding at least another 10 to 15 years of reclamation efforts before any form of construction is possible.
8) He lied in public, to the public, by saying "we would never leave federal money on the table... I can assure you of that"... Yet he voted to bait and switch pre-approved Federal funds to a non-qualifying project, which resulted in a loss for Edmonton, of $200 million dollars in senior governments grants. Elements of the project still had to be done, however those elements were subsequently paid for solely by Edmonton property taxpayers, instead of being shared by all 3 levels of government.
Note: Full details for this comes from the last mayoral public forum. This blog post provides all of the information on the event and this blog post provides the required information with respect to the "Gorman" funds.
9) He promotes experience ... of being the CFO for his wife's part time business. I'm sure that is very important.
10) He has no "real life" experiences that allow him to relate to those that struggle, which is becoming a larger part of the local population. His policies will create larger tax increases, but that's OK because when you can't relate, you don't understand.
11) He falls hook, line and sinker, into believing any report City Administration gives him, even though its obvious to hundreds of thousand of citizens that these reports are biased and speculative at best.
12) He loves Google products, because the city can use them for free. Yet those who are truly technically savvy, are well aware of Google's passion for spying. If anyone thinks Google does stuff for free, because they love you... well...
With respect to item 12, people will call me a hypocrite because this blog is a Google product. Let me point out that I could care less that Google will spy on my blog.
13) He loves people who are deeply devoted to Ignorance Is Bliss...
and finally.. (I'm sure I could add on a lot more, but really... isn't this enough to make you wonder?)
14) He fails to see the huge problem CD Days create, and thinks citizens get great value from people that effectively work 3 days out of 5.
2) Over the years, he's been a supportive part of the Mandel destructive bandwagon, which has resulted in a broken down city, while developers prosper, and seniors and others on fixed incomes suffer.
3) He's proud of the green promotion, spouting figures about how much pollution has been lowered, yet fails to realize or acknowledge how traffic light timings promote gridlock, increase greenhouse gasses, and cause huge amounts of extra dollars to all drivers, in increased wasted gasoline usage and longer travel times.
4) He refuses to listen to citizen ideas for improving the traffic flow that surface LRT destroys.
5) He would rather bash a citizen that expressed concern over the death of a baby (likely) due to the "screw you" attitude over voting to close the most needed runway at the City Center Airport... rather than showing compassion for the situation.
6) He has many suggestions and policies to "fix" the things that he voted to break.
7) He refused to listen to the experts who lived and worked at the City Center Airport, instead he choose to believe biased and slanted reports that were ordered by council. Watch as the reclamation costs soar to well over 10 times what was estimated, while probably adding at least another 10 to 15 years of reclamation efforts before any form of construction is possible.
8) He lied in public, to the public, by saying "we would never leave federal money on the table... I can assure you of that"... Yet he voted to bait and switch pre-approved Federal funds to a non-qualifying project, which resulted in a loss for Edmonton, of $200 million dollars in senior governments grants. Elements of the project still had to be done, however those elements were subsequently paid for solely by Edmonton property taxpayers, instead of being shared by all 3 levels of government.
Note: Full details for this comes from the last mayoral public forum. This blog post provides all of the information on the event and this blog post provides the required information with respect to the "Gorman" funds.
9) He promotes experience ... of being the CFO for his wife's part time business. I'm sure that is very important.
10) He has no "real life" experiences that allow him to relate to those that struggle, which is becoming a larger part of the local population. His policies will create larger tax increases, but that's OK because when you can't relate, you don't understand.
11) He falls hook, line and sinker, into believing any report City Administration gives him, even though its obvious to hundreds of thousand of citizens that these reports are biased and speculative at best.
12) He loves Google products, because the city can use them for free. Yet those who are truly technically savvy, are well aware of Google's passion for spying. If anyone thinks Google does stuff for free, because they love you... well...
With respect to item 12, people will call me a hypocrite because this blog is a Google product. Let me point out that I could care less that Google will spy on my blog.
13) He loves people who are deeply devoted to Ignorance Is Bliss...
Ostrich Syndrome is the best kind |
14) He fails to see the huge problem CD Days create, and thinks citizens get great value from people that effectively work 3 days out of 5.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
How about a little integrity - maybe even some honesty?
On Thursday, October 10th 2013, the last of the Mayoral public broadcast forums was held at the Italian Cultural Center. This footage has been archived here, for your viewing information.
Around the 4 minute mark, the moderator states that "if you don't like their answer, you know what to do". Well, this is what I want to do... educate you on the truth, instead of being side-stepped by Karen, or fibbed to by Don.
First, here are some snippets from both of their opening remarks. Do note, there is a lot of what was said that is grandstandingbullshit.. ops.. I mean El Toro Poo Poo, however I will restrict things from the entire webcast to my specific question.
Karen - (12:40ish) -"being an active listener", (14:15ish) "When you look at my record, you can see that I am a doer, ... ... it actually ends up with a solution, a go forward", (16:25ish) "a city of dreams".
Don - (28:20ish) "When we don't work together, we make errors, expensive errors we have to fix later", (28:40ish) "We will build it together, council, city administration, the business community, developers, citizens, communities", (30:00ish) "Citizens have told us what they want, we know what we can achieve".
With that said, both Don and Karen have been making bold statements about how much they have been listening. I'd like to suggest about the only thing they have been listening to, is all of the rah-rah from supporters (fake or otherwise) and they both fail to listen to the tough honest questions. I have let both camps know that I have problems with the loss of 200 million dollars in combined federal and provincial funding and have tweeted both of them links to my blog post, which contains factual links with information and results.
Both have chosen to ignore a reasonable question, because this topic goes against them being the hero-goodie-two-shoes folks, who are only interested in promoting their perceived high points and have no interest in being truthful on their failings. Hey, I get it... we all make mistakes. The fact neither are willing to own them, speaks huge volumes on credibility.. or lack of... Anyway..
My question starts at the 44:00ish mark, and was addressed to Don and Karen only. It was about the failed Gorman funds. It's pretty important that you read my above mentioned post, as it has the links that provide the information...
Karen responds at 45:00ish mark. And she totally bypasses the question with a run around on what the arena financing is/was. Where is the recognition and the accountability? Not only that, you knew this was being directed to you, why did you not listen to the question? For someone that creates opening remarks about just how well you listen, I mean really. This is what we can expect from you as Mayor? I shudder at that thought. You certainly haven't listened very well at all. The constituents you represent, were strongly against the arena deal, according to your EA.
You talk about going forward, and dreaming. I'm kinda thinking that we can't afford more of the poor planning and "not listening", in order to reach impossible dreams. I'd suggest you need some life lessons in reality, rather than "doer-ing" years of spending other peoples money without regard to the consequences to the people.
Don responds at 46:05ish, and starts out to suggest that I don't have the facts correct. Gee Don, I think I might. What part of my previous blog post is not correct? I mean, specifically from the links provided. Remember, I didn't write the words but... those links sure speak volumes.
Then you continue on (noting your 'savings grace' of "what I can recollect') to suggest those funds were used for other things... Um, but what about your photographic memory? You sure made a really nice spin of just how "rah rah" your answer was. Except for one slight fact.
Is it not true that the Federal Government had pre-approved the Gorman plan, and then when council did the bait and switch side, the Feds pulled out of the deal? And since the agreement was for 300 million (100 each from city, province, and Ottawa) and the province would only kick in when the Feds kicked in... they were no longer obligated to contribute. Hence, we lost $200 million dollars.
At the 47:04ish mark, Don suggests that "we would never leave federal money on the table... I can assure you of that" ... Oh, I'm really not happy hearing your assurances... And to think this is what we would have to look forward to from you.
So there WERE no funds from the feds to be allocated... At least, that's what it would seem like. So for you to say that the funds were used elsewhere... would seem to be a big fib. So we lost $100 mil from the Feds and $100 mil from the province. Either way, I'm really curious on how this money (that we never got), ended up getting spent on other various projects...
With respect to your other opening remarks, it seems like you mention all big biz folks first, and leave the public to last. Its the people that pay. You are another that "listens" to what people say, and then do what the people don't want done. Your office was another that I polled on the arena deal support and again, as with every other office contacted, I was told the majority of the constituents have said "no" to this deal. With me, the most irritating fact is that you profess SO strongly about our cities children yet using your other breath, you are proud of robbing some $80 million dollars from education. All which will feed a billionaire's personal pocket book.
As always, if either Don or Karen is willing to point out valid errors in the information that I got, which could change the "truth", then I'd be more than happy to listen. And I will be totally honest here. I'm not expecting any response from either of them. Yet, I'm still willing to listen.
Prove me wrong. I'll be the first one to stand up and admit I made a mistake. All it takes, is facts.
Thanks for your time.
Around the 4 minute mark, the moderator states that "if you don't like their answer, you know what to do". Well, this is what I want to do... educate you on the truth, instead of being side-stepped by Karen, or fibbed to by Don.
First, here are some snippets from both of their opening remarks. Do note, there is a lot of what was said that is grandstanding
Karen - (12:40ish) -"being an active listener", (14:15ish) "When you look at my record, you can see that I am a doer, ... ... it actually ends up with a solution, a go forward", (16:25ish) "a city of dreams".
Don - (28:20ish) "When we don't work together, we make errors, expensive errors we have to fix later", (28:40ish) "We will build it together, council, city administration, the business community, developers, citizens, communities", (30:00ish) "Citizens have told us what they want, we know what we can achieve".
With that said, both Don and Karen have been making bold statements about how much they have been listening. I'd like to suggest about the only thing they have been listening to, is all of the rah-rah from supporters (fake or otherwise) and they both fail to listen to the tough honest questions. I have let both camps know that I have problems with the loss of 200 million dollars in combined federal and provincial funding and have tweeted both of them links to my blog post, which contains factual links with information and results.
Both have chosen to ignore a reasonable question, because this topic goes against them being the hero-goodie-two-shoes folks, who are only interested in promoting their perceived high points and have no interest in being truthful on their failings. Hey, I get it... we all make mistakes. The fact neither are willing to own them, speaks huge volumes on credibility.. or lack of... Anyway..
My question starts at the 44:00ish mark, and was addressed to Don and Karen only. It was about the failed Gorman funds. It's pretty important that you read my above mentioned post, as it has the links that provide the information...
Karen responds at 45:00ish mark. And she totally bypasses the question with a run around on what the arena financing is/was. Where is the recognition and the accountability? Not only that, you knew this was being directed to you, why did you not listen to the question? For someone that creates opening remarks about just how well you listen, I mean really. This is what we can expect from you as Mayor? I shudder at that thought. You certainly haven't listened very well at all. The constituents you represent, were strongly against the arena deal, according to your EA.
You talk about going forward, and dreaming. I'm kinda thinking that we can't afford more of the poor planning and "not listening", in order to reach impossible dreams. I'd suggest you need some life lessons in reality, rather than "doer-ing" years of spending other peoples money without regard to the consequences to the people.
Don responds at 46:05ish, and starts out to suggest that I don't have the facts correct. Gee Don, I think I might. What part of my previous blog post is not correct? I mean, specifically from the links provided. Remember, I didn't write the words but... those links sure speak volumes.
Then you continue on (noting your 'savings grace' of "what I can recollect') to suggest those funds were used for other things... Um, but what about your photographic memory? You sure made a really nice spin of just how "rah rah" your answer was. Except for one slight fact.
Is it not true that the Federal Government had pre-approved the Gorman plan, and then when council did the bait and switch side, the Feds pulled out of the deal? And since the agreement was for 300 million (100 each from city, province, and Ottawa) and the province would only kick in when the Feds kicked in... they were no longer obligated to contribute. Hence, we lost $200 million dollars.
At the 47:04ish mark, Don suggests that "we would never leave federal money on the table... I can assure you of that" ... Oh, I'm really not happy hearing your assurances... And to think this is what we would have to look forward to from you.
So there WERE no funds from the feds to be allocated... At least, that's what it would seem like. So for you to say that the funds were used elsewhere... would seem to be a big fib. So we lost $100 mil from the Feds and $100 mil from the province. Either way, I'm really curious on how this money (that we never got), ended up getting spent on other various projects...
With respect to your other opening remarks, it seems like you mention all big biz folks first, and leave the public to last. Its the people that pay. You are another that "listens" to what people say, and then do what the people don't want done. Your office was another that I polled on the arena deal support and again, as with every other office contacted, I was told the majority of the constituents have said "no" to this deal. With me, the most irritating fact is that you profess SO strongly about our cities children yet using your other breath, you are proud of robbing some $80 million dollars from education. All which will feed a billionaire's personal pocket book.
As always, if either Don or Karen is willing to point out valid errors in the information that I got, which could change the "truth", then I'd be more than happy to listen. And I will be totally honest here. I'm not expecting any response from either of them. Yet, I'm still willing to listen.
Prove me wrong. I'll be the first one to stand up and admit I made a mistake. All it takes, is facts.
Thanks for your time.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
More reminders - 200 million dollars lost.
I received an email today with two attachments, reminding me of the waste and smooth talking of many council members and the Mayor. Do note, other than formatting issues with respect to fonts and links, I have not changed any of the words.
It is a bit of a long read, but if you want facts... its up to you the reader. If you ever had a desire to shed that "Ignorance Is Bliss" feeling, or shake off the "Ostrich Syndrome", this may be a good starting point.
Document 1 is as follows:
The failed GORMAN Gamble and Edmonton’s $200,000,000 funding Loss
For
one City of Edmonton
employee’s description of the Works package that would have been funded by the
monies Lost by those 2009 Councillors’ failed Bait-&-Switch gamble see http://www.joconl.com/article/id33938
For
one former Alberta MLA’s 2010 lamentation of that totally needless Loss of
those major fundings please see http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/letters/story.html?id=809dacee-d888-4049-8f4b-25babe0f3457
Here we are,
now 4 years later on when we have new neighbourhoods being constructed in Ward
4 places like ... Gorman, but with NO Lrt service there and NO Park-and-Ride Lot
there.
No Government ought to
be without censors and where the Press is
free no one ever will.
- Thomas Jefferson
This is the 2nd document sent:
It is a bit of a long read, but if you want facts... its up to you the reader. If you ever had a desire to shed that "Ignorance Is Bliss" feeling, or shake off the "Ostrich Syndrome", this may be a good starting point.
Document 1 is as follows:
A project overview of what was Lost for our
city -
via the 'management' of 2009 council members - can
be found in the following web link http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/300-million-announced-for-lrt-expansion-and-improvements-1.857618
Additionally,
one would expect any Edmonton area Federal Conservative MP in office back in
2009-2010 to have knowledge of our city's permanent LOSS of that $200mm 1-time jobs stimulus funding. There are a
whole handful of items for which the incumbent council candidates can and should
be judged.
But prime
among them is the $200,000,000 permanently LOST for our city by bungling
members of the 2009 city council; a
municipal financing mess and subsequent cover-up.
That story
involves the $200,000,000 (permanent) LOSS of 1-time funding that was available
to our municipality 4 years ago (but) only for approved, “Shovel-ready”
Infrastructure works ... and speaks to the real reason Edmonton's outgoing
Mayor started his very public feuding with then Federal Public Works minister
Rona Ambrose.
Also, how a
monstrous Bait-&-Switch scheme failed ... and contributed significantly to
our growing civic DEBT load.
Plus, the
apparent motivation for that ill-fated scheming ... relating to ( siting for ) Edmonton's current,
highly contentious Downtown ARENA deal.
N.B. As we head into the final days of the
municipal election campaigns it would seem Edmonton's
Voters deserve to know, and should finally be told of this ( almost
unbelievable ) tremendous boondoggling ... and which of the current council candidates
were complicit in the 2009 secret scheming (and its early 2010 and subsequent
Cover-up campaign).
This is a
rather outstanding case of MIS-management;
phenomenal bungling by our 2009 city council members (save for Caterina)
who were on duty back then.
And while “stuff”
does sometimes happen, totally foolish and absolutely needless gambling away of $200,000,000 of Senior
Governments' clearly defined, Conditional
* fundings all in 1 go can hardly be classified as a mere bit of fiscal
imprudence on the part of our city leaders.
* The only
"strings" attached to that funding were that
·
it
be spent on immediate jobs stimulus
projects pre-APPROVED by the Canada Works program,
·
projects
that would be substantially completed by the Federal Government’s fiscal year
ending March 31, 2011 (not 2014,
like the Nait Lrt line).
The criteria
couldn't have been any clearer or simpler. And if Tony Caterina
so easily got it, just what were the rest of them really up to ... that they took such a gamble as to cost all of us
$200,000,000 during an economic downturn ?
One would
expect Tony should be proud to confirm that he voted against the other, 2009 councillors' attempt to Switch utilization of those Shovel-ready,
Gorman-allocated & approved funds;
i.e. their
failed attempt to switch utilization of those qualified Senior Government
monies to a NON-qualifying project
still in its DESIGN phase back then.
N.B. Totally separate Senior Governments programs
have since been funding the much later
started construction of our NORTH Lrt -
currently scheduled for completion in 2014.
e.g. You may recall the $2B GreenTRIP funding
first announced by Stelmach in July of 2008
which did not actually start to flow until years later.
Whereas the
very clear requirements / criteria of the Canada
Works jobs creation stimulus dollars in the depths of the economic downturn
back in 2009 included substantial COMPLETION
/ expenditure (i.e. on only approved, Shovel-ready projects) by March of 2011.
Thus, upon
the 2009 Council’s attempt to re-assign use of the Gorman fundings to a
Non-qualifying project the Federal jobs stimulus monies - $100,000,000 ( x 2 with Provincial matching) - was
PERMANENTLY lost to our city.
Also
important to note is the funds approval for the shovel-ready GORMAN package of
jobs stimulus works was a 1-timer
... and, sadly, council members of that day gambled it all away.
When you look
at the size of Edmonton's
accumulated debt, the Loss of that $200,000,000 is quite significant.
It is indeed
quite the “accomplishment” that the culprits in this mammoth $200,000,000 Loss have
managed to keep knowledge of it largely swept under the carpet for so long.
Here's hoping
that this information shall help to now force accountability, transparency and
democratic change in Edmonton.
Edmonton's GORMAN package of Federally-APPROVED, Canada
Works Jobs Stimulus INFRASTRUCTURE dollars was a 'go' in 2009 ...
but council
members of that day threw away those $200,000,000 !!!!!
Other:
The same 2009
city council that needlessly cost all Edmontonians that $200mm of 1-time
funding are also the ones who, in July of 2008 so foolishly and needlessly
voted to put N.Lrt tracks directly in front of the Central McDougall AMBULANCE Station
on 105 Street ... and, to this day have failed to find a replacement site for
that critical-to-downtown emergency response service.
We certainly
don't need another 4 years of that level of 'performance.'
- Thomas Jefferson
This is the 2nd document sent:
Mayoral Decision
Matrix
Platform /
Voting Record
|
Kerry
DIOTTE
|
Don
IVESON
|
Karen
LEIBOVICI
|
POTHOLES -
repair & adequately maintain our Streets
|
√
|
|
|
Voted for budgets that took away annual road maintenance
dollars
|
|
√
|
√
|
ARENA: stood up for HOMEOWNERS, versus a
Billionaire’s entertainment business interests
|
YES
|
No
|
No
|
Prioritized ‘circuses’ ahead of core services like sewers /
improving our drainage system
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Voted for putting a new Traffic magnet
in our downtown with
4-lane 107
Ave -
thereby constructing a 51st Ave x 4.0 … in the new Entertainment
District !
i.e. Voted for a Level Crossing of 107 Ave
(instead of a simple underpass at
104 St / an extension of the below-grade tracks emanating from the tunnel now
underneath 101 St )
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Voted for a West LRT routing that will
bounce even more traffic ( from Stony
Plain Rd ) onto that 107 Ave arterial…only to have
it regularly blocked by the North LRT’s barricade arms
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Wants to
spend over $600,000,000 to replace a 17,100-seat facility with a new one that
seats only ~18,100 … not even keeping
pace with Population growth since the 1970s !
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Voted for
Mandel’s initiative to construct the North LRT’s
tracks directly in front of
the (
9,000-calls-per-year ) Central McDougall AMBULANCE Station on 105 Street -
thereby requiring
that Station’s expensive relocation + longer EMS wait times in the Downtown
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Deliberately
chose to ignore full and fair exploration of the superior 104 St. N.Lrt
routing option
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
FRESH
ideas; on city council since…
|
2010
|
2007
|
2001
|
Life
experience - age:
|
57
|
34
|
60
|
|
|
|
|
LOST $200,000,000 for Edmonton Taxpayers by voting for a
failed gamble; the quite foolish, attempted bait-&-switch by Council - to
reallocate Senior Governments’ fundings approvals for the “shovel-ready” “Gorman
Package” of Infrastructure works to a NON-qualifying project !
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
DELAYED by 2 years 5-car-long Platforms for our existing LRT System – causing 2010
“Crush Hours” on the only 3-car trains - and needlessly ADDED to City borrowings to fix this
|
No
|
√
|
√
|
Has a
VISION for much better management
of our City and its finances
( and more
responsible use of Senior Governments’ grants monies ! )
|
YES
|
|
|
Gorman, Greed, and
the Lost $200,000,000
In 2009 Mandel
and certain City Councillors knowingly ‘baited’ the Feds with Qualifying,
Shovel-ready LRT System-wide improvements (and requisite, immediate Jobs / economic Stimulus benefits)
THEN, once they
had obtained the Federal & Provincial fundings approvals for same, instead
attempted switching use of those
funds to a NON-qualifying, NON-shovel ready project !
But they got
caught in the act by the feds … and that is how those 2009
City Councillors gambled away our
$200,000,000 of (Gorman-committed) public
works economic stimulus funds - in pursuit of their I-know-better whim ... and that is why we Edmonton Taxpayers lost
out, big time.
For one City of
Edmonton employee’s
description of the Works package that was LOST by those 2009 Councillors’ failed
Bait-&-Switch gamble please see:
For one former
Alberta MLA’s lamentation of that totally needless LOSS of those major fundings
please see:
So, what was
it that suddenly motivated those 2009 Mandel-lead Councillors
to even attempt their failed switcheroo
?
Half way
through 2009 Katz announced His choice of site on which we should build for Him
a new facility;
Land that was
chosen and optioned by Him for His own revenues-enhancing purposes.
Land
immediately adjacent to the ( NON-shovel ready, still in the planning stages )
intended North
LRT line - which new ‘priority’ N.LRT connection and MacEwan Station could instead service His new revenues stream.
Thus, personal
interests / a pet project got prioritized by City
Councillors of the day ahead of the Gorman LRT works package, and it was their re-jigging that
ended up disqualifying
Edmontonians from receiving those clearly targeted,
Senior
Governments’ (2009-11) Jobs-creation
Canada Works
stimulus funds.
i.e. Those 2009 Councillors felt they "knew better" - than
to respect the very clear, Shovel-ready employments strings /
criteria / conditions that were attached to the $200,000,000 in approvals
committed specifically for the Gorman
works.
N.B. Councillors Iveson and Leibovici both voted for the
above, failed bait-&-switch scheme, a needless gamble that
Lost for Edmontonians $200,000,000 of the Senior
Governments’ funding that had been committed for much-needed and qualifying Infrastructure works.
So instead
of a 3-way cost sharing - of the entire
approved Gorman Package of works - it was the 2009
Council’s failed trickery that ended up having City of Edmonton taxpayers footing
the entire bill for the required LRT Platforms extensions +
Traction Power upgrades to handle the longer trains and additional cars
purchased ... all with a Later-than-needed
completion and, ultimately, funded 100%
via City taxpayers !
In brief, Canada Works
Infrastructure Jobs STIMULUS “wish
lists” of immediate, Shovel-ready projects were submitted
by Municipalities from across Canada to the Feds in Jan.2009 ... contingent
on Matching fundings by the Provinces
and by the municipality making such application ( i.e. 1/3rd each ) and the Job Creation project
completions BEFORE fiscal year ending March 31, 2011.
From Edmonton's Wish List, the
Feds elected to cover 1/3rd of the Shovel-ready $300mm Gorman PACKAGE of
works -
for
a)
the
LRT System to be Upgraded to handle 5-car trains from only 3 cars, via
1.
Lengthening the Platforms on the existing Clairview-to-South LRT line and
2. Increase
Traction Power, to accommodate 5 cars ... all in time for Century Park's
opening ... which would have avoided the “Crush Hour” subsequently experienced
in September 2010 when UA students et al boarded the South LRT, plus
b)
Lengthen the line from Clairview to Gorman, including
c)
creating additional Park'N'Ride
spaces @ Gorman ( for the freeloaders from Ft. Saskatchewan,
Gibbons
et al who are now hogging / clogging spaces at Edmonton's Clairview Station ), plus
d) Transit
Station and Park'N'Ride enhancements in the West end at Lewis Estates.
When the Feds
got wind the 2009 Edmonton
City Councillors were attempting to Switch
use of the $100mm funding commitment that had been allocated (as per all Municipalities
across Canada) solely for Immediate Shovel-ready works – to a project where not even the Design work
had yet been completed,
that Immediate
Jobs-creation stimulus monies’ approval was yanked ... which also lost Edmonton the Province
of Alberta's matching
$100mm.
Thus, the 2009 Councillors’ attempted Bait-&-Switch permanently cost Edmonton
Taxpayers $200,000,000.
The Lengthened Platforms &
Traction Power upgrades remained ongoing
needs, but it was solely Edmonton's property taxpayers that had to finance
those 'Regional' benefits entirely on our own, with borrowings of 100-cent dollars - instead
of having built the greater number of (Gorman Package) works that could have been
accomplished with only 33-cent dollars ... had our 2009
City Councillors not so foolishly gambled against such clear funding criteria.
0 grade separation, Guaranteed Traffic Snarls and Longer Emergency Response Times
0 grade separation, Guaranteed Traffic Snarls and Longer Emergency Response Times
The same
Mandel-lead 2009 City Council also failed to simply instruct
Transportation to build the 1st 3 blocks of our North LRT
optimally and most cost-effectively on the 1st go, UNDER 107.
i.e. With a simple grade separation at busy, 4-lane
107 Avenue ( the progressive sort of
thing seen in the vicinity of our 1970s
Coliseum ) specifically to eliminate
conflicts between surface vehicles and the mass transit system that
serves such a people magnet.
Instead, situating
the North LRT’s Tracks across the SURFACE of the busy 4-lane 107 Avenue
arterial will now greatly compromise the capacity of our finite downtown roadways
(and delivery of Emergency Services into the downtown) and especially in
the immediate vicinity of a mammoth new people magnet, and needlessly CAUSE
unnecessary gridlock ... thereby creating a 51st Ave x
4.0
( per known and foreseeable Edmonton traffic counts ).
In a David
Staples's edmonton
journal column of December 17, 2010 Mandel stated, regarding LRT and
intersections:
“It was a mistake
to have the LRT not
go under ... the road traffic on University Avenue and 51st Avenue on the south side, and it
would be a mistake to build the west line without going either under or over
142nd and 149th streets, even though it costs more,
"To say we're not going to worry
about it and we're going to stop traffic everywhere isn't really a good
solution. ... Why would we continue with a bad decision?"
David Staples
continued:
Mandel is correct. The quickest way to
kill support for the LRT is to say to hell with car drivers. And it's worth
noting that the original decision to build Underground Edmonton's Downtown was
costly, but it's proving to be an example of smart long-term thinking, as any
Calgarian stuck in downtown traffic, waiting for the C-Train to go by, will
tell you. ...
So
why did those 2009 Councillors, including Iveson
and Leibovici so intransigently proceed with construction of a REPEAT of the University Avenue and 51st Avenue Surface-crossing mistakes,
only this time on the brand new North LRT in our city's Downtown, and at much
greater Magnitude, in the new ARENA District, across the Surface of busy 4-lane 107 Ave ?_______
Where is their
vision ?
Perhaps we
are seeing the exact same, short-sighted thinking that so readily acquiesced to
Katz’s own switching - away from
His promise of $100,000,000 Up-FRONT
CAPITAL Funding … instead to a paltry $5.5mm per year discounted facility rental
fee ?
Here’s hoping
a majority of concerned Edmontonians will now vote for a New mayor - instead of a
2009
Councillor proven capable of captaining us into a
Greek Tragedy.
╬
essential and proper grade separations are present
at the current Coliseum / Rexall
Place
- separations between existing trains and vehicular (including
Emergency vehicles) traffic on 118 Ave, Fort
Road, the
Yellowhead Trail, and Wayne Gretzky Drive
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)