After what was a tumultuous, even boisterous Coucnil meeting earlier today, Councillors Kearns, Nisan and Stolte released the following statement:
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan
Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte
Councillors Kearns, Nisan and Stolte have succeeded in ensuring residents can have their voice heard on a major developer discount: 100 percent of development charges being waived for two years, costing the average homeowner $391 or a stealth 7.82% city tax increase above and beyond the already planned 4.5% city tax increase next year.
The agenda for today’s council meeting was released after the deadline for residents to speak to council. This happened because of a strong mayor decision that forced staff to draft a detailed 11-page financial report on two days’ notice.
The report has numerous gaps due to a lack of time. What is clear is that the cost range of the mayor’s amendment to subsidize developers at 100 percent is between $16 million and $42 million and this shortfall will have to be covered by Burlington taxpayers.
The matter will now go to a special council meeting on March 2, where the councillors will continue to fight for the Burlington taxpayer, who we believe must be made whole by the provincial and federal governments in order for any charges to be waived.
Councillor Lisa Kearns: “Burlington taxpayers deserve to fully understand when significant policy directives may completely drain reserve funds, push debt higher and change capital plans. The lack of appropriate public engagement and a rushed strong mayor decision fell short of what our community expects and deserves from their elected officials.”
“People can now get the facts and make their position known to council members. I will not deplete our reserves or compromise the future of our city to offset development charges without our government partners firmly committed to keeping our city whole.”
Nisan: “It was bad enough that the motion will cost the taxpayer millions of dollars, but to try to push the matter through without hearing from residents was unacceptable. We stopped it but the fight isn’t over.”
Stolte: “The mayor voted against a two-month deferral to get all the financial consequences, as we had proposed. Instead she chose to use her strong mayor powers to force a response from finance staff on her terms and her timeline, resulting in public engagement being undermined.”
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“Past history is widely considered a strong indicator of future behaviour”
Do you remember that on March 5th 2019 the council approved the Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) that would freeze all development for one year to March 5, 2020 in Downton Burlington and the Burlington GO Station? This turned out to be a fiasco.
Developers appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT)and as a result there were 32 appeals that the City of Burlington had to deal with. Taxpayer monies were used to settle these.
I don’t remember developers not appealing because they didn’t want to burden Burlington taxpayers.
Councillor Bentevigna indicated ” sometimes we have to give a leg up to businesses”. Developers are not small businesses. They are an entity unto themselves with deep pockets.
Why should Burlington taxpayer subsidize an industry that built small, expensive units that the public does not want to buy?
Can’t remember the last time a small business came to Burlington taxpayers to help them stay in business.
Residents in WARDS 1, 5, 6 should be concerned. All residents need to email their councillors and the mayor indicating that this moratorium of 2 years on development fees is not acceptable.
There is more to this than residents are aware of. It just does not make sense.
Perhaps it is time to ask for a 2 year moratorium on paying our property taxes (lol).
Why am I having going to have to pay for this? I am getting zero benefit from it and an increase in an already too high tax bill. It seems to be just being rammed through by the mayor. The mayor and some council members needs to think long and hard on this one as it will cost them during the next election. This is not your money here to squander it giving all ready very well to do developers more money from us into their pockets. This is taxpayers money that you are now getting out of control using without public input!
I believe that this Council with the exception of the three who are fighting for Burlington tax payers in this article to have a very strong say as to where our tax money should all not have their seats in council following the Fall 2026 election.
I have always had concerns about how much sponsorship dollars went into council members last election campaign that came from developers. Call me a cynic but there may be a strong case to be made to follow the money when it comes to property development decisions made in Burlington over the past 3 plus years that did not respond to citizens wishes.
May warrant a hard core review.
In the 2018 campaign Meed Ward would not accept contributions from developers. My, how times have changed. Sharman’s campaign, by contrast, was almost totally funded by developers or their families. In 2018 there was no love lost between “Crusader Marianne” and “Establishment Paul”. Again, how times have changed.
Just went into the Council meeting calendar to watch the balance of todays General meeting on video re todays February 17th meeting and its black/nothing there???
Did Mayor Meed Ward instruct city staff to delete it and not post it for Burlington residents to watch and acccess????
Mayor Meed Ward is Not looking out for the financial best interests of her Burlington constituents!
Mayor Meed Ward wants to freeze Develops Charges for the next 2 years. Burlington residents should not be on the hook to pay for development fees. (all developers should pay these fees themselves, if they wish to build in Burlington). Approving this could add up to an additional 7.8% or more on your yealy property tax bill for the next 2 years and beyond.
This proposal by our Mayor must be voted down. Please contact your local Ward Councilor now and tell them how you want them to vote on this proposal.
My wish would be that everyone take the opportunity to watch the video record of this meeting. There are deep divisions appearing in this Council and a lack of principled leadership (imo) with clear impacts for the City’s citizens. I was not surprised by the chaos that overtook the beginning of the meeting. Eventually, all the games that have rules made only as they are played, collapse. And this is exactly what happened. Credit to Jim Thomson, David Barker and Lynn Crosby with staying the course to have their voices heard. Credit to Councillors Kearns, Nisan and Stolte for finally drawing a line in the sand that may expose even more of the rift and may benefit the quality/integrity of the decisions that “the seven” make in the final months of their term.
Today the mayor has committed political suicide. What the “H” is wrong with her??Thank you to councillors Kearns, Nisan, and Stolte for having the taxpayers backs! And where was Galbraith – my Ward 1 councillor? He should start looking for a new job too and remember that he works for us, the People who voted for him. Pulling the wool over the taxpayers eyes is in this case huge and absolutely egregious! Can the ombudsman get involved in something like this?
I agree totally. If nothing else Galbraith adds absolutely no value to the Council. Sits, there, supports the mayor and collects his salary. However, even he has enough sense to register a conflict when it exists. Meed Ward suffers no such constraint. She participates actively in discussions and votes around heritage properties despite the fact that her home on Martha Street is a heritage home and is part of the program.
The Mayor has committed political suicide. Thank you to councillors Kears, Nisan, and Stolte for having our backs. Where the heck was the councillor in my ward? Ward 1 – Galbraith can start looking for a new job too.
We, the people, elect people to look out to for the people in their wards and the city as a whole. Not to go behind our backs to get this motion through. Does anyone know if the ombudsman can get involved in this?