He stuck with his point taxpayers cannot handle more increases, while facing tough questions
Niagara's regional chair enduring a respectful grilling at Fort Erie council last night over his plan to restructure Niagara government.
It lasted over an hour, as Mayor Wayne Redekop pointed out to Bob Gale he has support only from Niagara Falls, Welland and St. Catharines mayors.
He asked "Do you have any data that supports your deep contemplation that only one city, or 4 cities model will maximize efficiencies and benefits in Niagara?"
Bob Gale responded with "I only have the common sense data that taxpayers can't afford 25% increases, we can't survive with $2.7-billion worth of infrastructure deferrals, we can't put up with the red tape on applications from people. I only have all that information that has gone on for years, and we aren't digging ourselves out of this hole."
He held to his main argument... taxpayers cannot handle any more increases, and this has been going on for years, never addressed by anyone.
Councillor Anne-Marie Noyes said past amalgamation has not worked. "Again, you haven't done the homework, you don't know."
Bob Gale said "What homework am I looking for?"
Noyes: "Efficiences... are we going to have, instead of having 100 people doing a task, are we going to have 60 people doing that?"
Gale: "I would expect the government to do that, which is why I'm submitting to the government for it to do that work."
He added any change is on the table, not just amalgamation.
A number of people held up signs showing opposition to amalgamation.
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