Candidate's voting record questioned
Letters to the Editor - Friday, November 03, 2006 @ 09:00
At the King's Town district all-candidates meeting, I asked mayoralty candidate Kevin George how he could claim to be interested in more consultation with citizens and greater access of citizens to council when he chaired the committee that brought in bylaw changes that restricted citizen access, and voted for those changes. He said he had to present the bylaw changes as committee chair but voted against them. I read the minutes of the Nov. 30, 2004 Committee of the Whole meeting and the Dec. 7 council meeting, which gave third reading to the bylaw.
Only councillors Rick Downes and Steve Garrison voted against the bylaw changes. George voted for the changes.
In a Kingston Life article this fall, the author lists George as having voted in favour of the city picking up the flood- damaged effects of people whose homes were flooded several years ago. In fact, he voted against it. In fact, he was one of three councillors who voted against reimbursing dumping fees for residents who had already taken flood-damaged effects to the dump. I asked him why he was so insensitive to the people who had suffered this disaster. He answered that he was looking for a way to help people without using taxpayers' money. Isn't it reasonable for our taxes to be used to help each other in times of disaster?
I asked George why he voted against the referendum on the sports and entertainment centre proposed by councillor Rick Downes. He said he made a strategic error. I asked why he opposed a public meeting on the Kingston Centre development. He argued that it was private property and that the city had no authority to hear the issue. Loblaws didn't have to pay attention to what the citizens said, so a public meeting would be a waste of money. My wife pointed out that at least Loblaws would have had the choice to listen or not.
I have the impression that George's voting record shows he is too insensitive,
too politically naive and too quick to prevaricate to be mayor.
Matthew Gventer
Kingston