By Walter Byj and Pepper Parr
October 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette is doing profiles of each member of Council. They are based on four years of observations and interviews with most Council members. An overview of the ward they serve is linked to the profile.
After more than 25 years as a Burlington Councillor, John Taylor is not ready to step down. He is seeking another 4 year term. Initially acclaimed in 1988, Councillor Taylor feels there is much to accomplish before stepping down from “the best job” he has had. While reflecting on his years in council, Taylor outlined his priorities not only of his ward, but also for the City of Burlington.
Eliminating the current $150 million infrastructure deficit is a key priority – it should be – Taylor was on Council for more than 20 years when that deficit was created.
The lack of new industrial development in Burlington is one of his major concerns as vast tracts of land sit idle awaiting development.
His hope is that the revised Burlington Economic Development Corporation will kick start more economic activity that will increase our tax base as residential growth will be limited to approximately 10,000 people over the next 20 years and the accompanying tax base will be very limited.
Eliminating the current $150 million infrastructure deficit is also a key priority and the current plan of increasing taxes annually for the next 15 years will eliminate this deficit in 20 to 25 years, an event many of us will not be able to celebrate.
As for ward 3, Taylor said “the most urgent issue is that the rural area of Burlington is under threat”. The fear of a new provincial highway and expansion of quarry activity in northern Burlington are at the top of his list. Burlington has two major natural features, rural lands with the escarpment in the north and the lake to the south and they should both be protected. Preserving the quality of life in ward 3 by developing our parks to another level over time is also a key concern for Taylor. This would include the finishing touches at Mountainside Park along with Lowville and Kilbride sometime in the future.
Asked if there should be a term limitation for councillors, he responded that the electorate should decide this. Change for the sake of change is not the answer. Let the people decide who is best to serve them. Anyone wanting to take his seat should not run on the slogan “time for a change”, but rather run on policy.
Did he feel that age was catching up and perhaps not have the energy level that politics required? “I’ve learned to work smarter” responded Taylor. After 20 years of being on council, I have learned to pace myself and to pick my battles. His dedication and work ethic will remain the same, even though he plans to enjoy life outside of politics a bit more.
Taylor grouses about the thickness of some of the reports but he reads everything – stays at home on Fridays to do the reading. Always has solid questions.
Everyone thinks Taylor cannot be beaten; every candidate can be beaten with the right campaign. The ward’s failure to come up with a credible candidate is their loss. While Jeff Brooks is interesting, his very late entry does not give him the time needed to become known and doesn’t give the community the time it needs to get to know him.
Lisa Cooper appears to be running until John retires and hopes the seat will fall into her lap.
Burlington has had more than a handful of first time candidates who announced their intention to run less than 90 days before the election – difficult to take them seriously.
John Taylor is not only the Dean of Burlington’s city council; he is in many ways the conscience of this Council. He also has the best sense of humour on this Council. He laughs easily even if he is the object of the laughter.
At one point he threatened to walk out to the atrium and talk about a matter that was being discussed in camera. Taylor just saw that as wrong – especially when the subject had been talked about openly at the Region.
On another occasion Taylor broke every planning rule there was when he finagled and got his colleagues to go along with changes that made it possible for a house that had significant historical merit to be sold.
Councillor Taylor meeting with staff to check up on some of the numbers in the budget binder.
On yet another occasion he ventured into another Council members ward to help out with a water pipe problem when the Councillor for the ward had no time for the constituent.
Once city council got used to the idea early in this term of office that it had to come up with $60 million as its share of the Joseph Brant hospital re-build the city had to figure out how it was going to get that money to the hospital.
The hospital wanted the money given to them so they could build the parking garage that was necessary – the parking lot in place was where the hospital expansion was going to be built so it had to go. Taylor balked at that – he couldn’t see Burlington giving the hospital $60 million to build a garage and then have then keep all the parking fees. Taylor’s obstinacy on that issue served the city well.
Taylor knows more than anyone else about what the city has done in the past and how the place works – that knowledge doesn’t come to his fingertips as easily as it once did.
Taylor is huge supporter of Community Development Halton (CDH) and works hard to get the people in his ward involved in CDH events. More often than not – he will reach into his pocket and slip a folded piece of paper into the hands of Joey Edwardh’s, Executive Director of CDH.
Rural Burlington was not always the focus it currently is for John Taylor. He established his base in the southern part of the ward and that vote has stayed with him.
The ladies love him. He charms them and he listens to them; never patronizes them. That’s why he gets smiles like this one from Georgina Black, the consultant who led the then new new city council through its Strategic Plan back in 2011.
Generous, a true liberal minded citizen, Taylor gave very serious thought to making this term his last. He changed his mind when his health improved. Every candidate can be beaten but it is going to take a candidate who is well organized and who has developed a profile at least a year before an election is called to win the seat.
However, politics is known for its upsets. The voters usually get it right.
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