Thursday, April 24, 2014

Nenshi Fiddles While Calgary Burns

I'm in Playa del Carmen, watching what's going on in Calgary from the tragedy of the useless killings of the University students to the death of the young man test driving a motorcycle.

The murders will play out in the media and cause untold misery to all of the families involved and for that, having lost my 7 year old grandson last March, I am so terribly sorry.

The death of the young man on the motorcycle raises a number of questions in my mind, currently somewhat fuzzy from tequila and cerveza.

I have to write this, asking for comment and response because I am concerned we are going to suffer more of these incidents.

WHY?

Because Council has said they will not spend the necessary funds to clean the enormous amount of gravel deposited on our streets by City crews during the winter months. All reports list a cause of the unfortunate accident as the amount of gravel on the streets where he was driving.

Here is where this is going;

The Inner-City Four, Councillors Farrell, Wooley, Carra and Pincott appear to live in a world that the vast majority of Calgarians do not. Nor do we want these folks spending our tax dollars creating this imaginary world. Albeit, they do these things at the behest of "His Purpleness", the Mayor.

Last year they wasted our time and money trying to ban shark fin soup, a ridiculous move entirely outside of their jurisdiction and in opposition to the existing laws of Canada. Nonetheless, our tax dollars were spent on this useless endeavor.

Now we have the the 'Cycle Tracks', unwanted by a large majority of Calgarians, but again being forced through Council yet again against our wills. Depending on who talks within Council or City Administration, the 'Cycle Tracks' will cost $9 million, $15 million or $22 million, not including maintenance, cleaning, snow removal, etc...

It doesn't take much thought to suggest we should use these tax dollars for the safety of the public rather than building 'Cycle Tracks' that a majority, including large numbers of people who ride bikes to work every day, do not want.

Do we need more accidents and possible deaths because of the unsafe condition of the existing streets to prove the lunacy of the 'Cycle Track' expenditure?

We know 'His Purpleness' has a problem convincing us the expenditure is a good one when he needs to show up at the Transportation Committee to try to sell the project on a trial basis.

Hell, even Stantec, the Consultant hired to sell us the 'Cycle Tracks' has written a report for the City of Vancouver saying the 'Cycle Track' project there was a failure. I have a copy of both reports for those that want to read them.

We can only trust that the majority of Council will realize we do not want our money wasted this way. Take it and clean our streets, make them safe for bike traffic as they stand, get rid of the gravel!

Calgarians are watching this vote, watching those that want to be Mayor one day, watching those who will vote to waste our tax dollars on the wishes of 'His Purpleness' and the 'Inner-City Four'.

We all get to vote again!

BEWARE!

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