So, why haven't our local politicians pushed the province to address this? Let's see, why don't most politicians address anything of this nature...for fear of putting themselves out of a job. It's pretty nice, I imagine, for most of our politicians - who are employed full-time elsewhere - to add anywhere between $10,000+ (smallest municipality) and $27,500 (Niagara Region) to their annual income and, in the grand scheme of things/majority of cases, do very little work for it, especially when you begin to look at attendance records and response rates to citizens.
Now, I'm not suggesting that we don't have some effective politicians within the Niagara Region, but I'd be VERY hard pressed to suggest that even half of the current politicians are particularly effective.
Over the years, I've had a variety of discussions about this with a wide variety of people who have raised some interesting ideas. With a population of 400,000+ in the Niagara region, I'm not sure if the answer is to amalgamate all of the municipalities into one Municipality of Niagara, three municipalities (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland would amalgamate with the smaller municipalities around them), or just remove the regional government and revert to 12 smaller single-tier municipalities.
There are advantages and disadvantages to all of the above scenarios, and each should be given its due consideration.
In addition to the above, if we were to pursue a multi-municipality scenario (but remove the multi-level government), we need to take a look at reducing the numbers of politicians and at creating full-time positions for the jobs in order to attract better candidates.
There are also issues with the Ward system, which can be discussed if we continue to pursue a multi-municipality system.
The one flaw that I find in the Chamber's report is their timeline. We have to remember that is the provincial government that allows municipalities to exist. The move to amalgamate or separate must ultimately come from them. Can we make this happen by 2012, based on "giving new councillors a learning curve"? I'm not sure. It NEEDS to happen by the next election in 2014, though. Needs to.
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Here's the link to Don Fraser's September 8, 2010, article in the St. Catharines Standard: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2747402, and I've also pasted the article below in case the link breaks before Election Day:
Municipal shakeup urged
Posted By DON FRASER , STANDARD STAFF
Niagara is awash in $1.2 billion worth of public infrastructure spending that's either planned or underway.
This unprecedented investment is laying the groundwork for a future economic revival.
But stumbling blocks remain for business in the region's municipal governance, taxation and transportation.
These are key conclusions of a research survey of businesses from Niagara's chambers of commerce network.
The report, Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, was spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and released Tuesday.
"This survey had a lot of consistency," said local chamber general manager Walter Sendzik. "And it validates a lot of what we've been hearing over past years.
"Duplication of services came up a lot," he said. "Plus, confusion in dealing with two levels of governments and over-governance. This is what they're talking about."
The report highlights, in general, the need for more effective municipal government and streamlined services -- especially in land and building planning.
Sendzik said one example is the duplicated municipal red tape between the two tiers of government faced by businesspeople when attempting an expansion or new building.
The survey also heard Niagara needs more competitive and user-friendly regulatory and tax policies. It said Niagara needs a revamped mass transportation policy to include involvement of the private sector, with more linkages with GO Transit and Via Rail.
Sendzik said the report complements 2009's Paths to Prosperity report by the St. CatharinesThorold Prosperity Council, which suggested focusing on growth areas like new-media technology and biosciences.
In the latest report, about 3,000 businesses were surveyed, with a return rate of roughly 10% -- slightly above average for that kind of survey.
There's no intention to let the results gather dust, said Sendzik.
The chamber plans to push the report as an election issue among municipal candidates.
Its recommendations also have target dates, many of them with a 2012 benchmark.
One calls for establishing an independent office of the auditor general at Niagara Region, which will look closely at finance and policy implementation.
Another wants the Region to ensure the industrial tax ratio is at or below the provincial average by 2012.
"We wanted to give newly elected councillors a learning curve, then say, 'Let's get it done,' " Sendzik said.
Chamber board president David DiFelice said the report's intent is "to really bring together Niagara's business voice and crystallize the issues."
"Our goal is bring out these issues front and centre," said DiFelice, also associate vice-president of credit services for Canadian Tire Financial Services.
Outgoing Niagara Region Chairman Peter Partington said he agrees it's important to look at new ways to reduce duplication and streamline services.
"We also need to be mindful of affordability and have (infrastructure and services) that appeal to business as well as residents," he said.
Partington said the Region's portion of property tax increases has been kept to 1% over the past five years and the industrial tax ratio has been significantly reduced.
"You can't just look at tax ratios," he said. "You have to look at total tax burden and the assessment values. Niagara is in pretty good competitive shape with most of the rest of the province."
dfraser@stcatharinesstandard.ca
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Problems, solutions
Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, a report spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce.
Key problems:
- Niagara is over-governed
- It needs comprehensive, independent auditing
- Government services and economic development should be streamlined
- An integrated public transit system is needed
- Business tax rates must be competitive
- Create a more effective Niagara Region government and an office of municipal auditor general
- Streamline Niagara government services, including a harmonized zoning bylaw, single economic development office, and an office of regional building code inspector
- Create competitive taxation policy including reducing industrial tax ratio to be at or below the provincial average
- Revamp mass/public transportation policies including involvement of private sector carriers and linkages to GO Transit and Via Rail
- Creation of an arm's-length Niagara Region Airport Commission
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