George's Guiding Principles
I've had the great opportunity of representing our community both as your Trustee and currently as your Councillor. I take my responsibilities very seriously and I strive to offer you the best representation possible. Each year, I deal with thousands of calls, emails, letters and requests. In each case, I am committed to responding promptly, courteously and with compassion for people in need. It's important to me that you are confident that your Councillor is fair, honest and hard-working. Without your confidence, I would be unable to represent you effectively. I appreciate your support and continue to seek your feedback on the issues affecting our community.
Effective Representation
Mississauga has a relatively small Council, with a large work load both at the City and Region. It's a full time, 7 day a week commitment. Your Councillor must be well informed and balanced to be effective at City Hall. Community issues are often complicated. Your representative must be able to listen carefully and use extensive experience to make the best decisions possible. I hold regular public meetings on a wide variety of issues. Together, we are making informed decisions and avoiding costly mistakes.
Keeping you informed and involved is absolutely essential. That's why I produce newsletters, mailings, cable television programs and an electronic newsletter. From community planning to safety tips for your home, I pass along as much useful information as I can and seek your feedback every step of the way. I regularly consult with business groups, older adult associations, ratepayer organizations, cultural groups, heritage organizations, condominium boards, faith organizations and service clubs to gain knowledge and perspective. It's a lot of work, but it produces positive results.
Building a Greener City
Mississauga is nearly built-out, with over 700,000 residents. We're fortunate to have modern roads and infrastructure. We need to focus on our green spaces and valley lands by creating more parks, open spaces and trails. As Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee, I'm concerned about and active in the protection of the Credit River and its watershed. Since being elected in 2000, I've helped organize the volunteer planting of more than 25,000 trees throughout our ward - a record for this City.
I enthusiastically support measures to increase transit use, cycling and walking. At the City, I've pushed for environmental innovations such as energy saving LED traffic lights and solar light panels for our bus stops, the use of bio-diesel fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in operating costs each year. In 2010, we will be installing the first induction street lights, which will improve lighting while reducing energy use by 80%.
I'm an active member of the Region of Peel's Waste Management Committee. We've introduced a "Green Bin" program, created Recycling Centres and added recycling bins throughout our local commercial areas. Locally, we have closed the Britannia Landfill site creating a beautiful 27 hole public golf course. Underneath its surface, waste gas is collected and converted to green electricity - enough to supply 2000 homes - about the size of Streetsville. Solar panels have been added to the Hershey Centre to generate electricity. Our new buildings and renovated facilities incorporate the latest in energy saving technologies. For example, the new Mississauga Transit building located at 975 Central Parkway West has installed a 8,700 square foot top comprised of Sedum moss to absorb pollutants from the air.
A second 2,500 square foot green roof at the same transit campus is scheduled to be completed in 2009. This project will offer benefits such as lower air conditioning costs, an increase in oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, and a longer roof life.
Surveys show a growing demand for passive recreational services such as bike paths and walkways. Each year we add more trails and dedicated bike lanes for you to enjoy. Ward 11 has approximately 32 kilometres of bicycle trails and park pathways, projected to grow to 62 kilometres in the near future.
On a City wide basis there are 291 kilometres of bicycle trails and park pathways, growing to more than 600 kilometres when completed.
Energy use at City Hall has been reduced through conservation and retrofitting of older facilities, saving a remarkable 9% in energy costs - the most improved municipality in Ontario! In fact, Mississauga has won a conservation award of excellence for its action plan to reduce waste, car idling and toxic emissions.
On a personal note I drive an energy efficient, low emission vehicle and extensively use my scooter and bicycle for local commuting. I love to encourage others to offer a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
Strong Fiscal Management
Our City is fiscally well-managed and this is something to be proud of. After many months of intensive review and debate, the 2010 City and Regional budgets have been finalized. Council is well aware of the current economic recession and has made every effort to keep the 2010 tax increase at an absolute minimum. The City’s portion of the property tax bill will increase by 2.3%, while the Region’s portion of the property tax bill will increase by 1.9%. Also, in recognition of the current state of the economy, the City and Regional Councils voted against imposing a 1% infrastructure levy to fund rehabilitation and development of municipal and regional infrastructure. When next year’s budget process commences, I can assure you that we will be trying to look for opportunities to further improve efficiencies and control costs and spending.
In 2010, the City’s portion of the property tax bill will increase by 2.3%, which amounts to a 0.65% impact on the total 2010 property tax bill. This increase is comprised of an $8.5 million increase for ongoing operations, which will not be combined with a 1% infrastructure levy in the 2010 budget year. The Region’s portion of the property tax bill will increase by 1.9%, which amounts to a 0.90% impact on the total 2010 property tax bill. For an average home valued at $350,000, the City increase equals $23.03 (0.65%), while the Regional increase equals $31.89 (0.90%), which brings the total City and Regional tax increase to $54.92 or 1.55% for the average homeowner, compared with a 3.1% total increase in 2009.
As a former small business owner, I apply the same standards to the City's expenditures as I did to my own. The Mayor and Council all take a very prudent approach. We ask tough questions, look for operational savings and constantly re-evaluate existing programs. As a result of this prudent approach, the City of Mississauga’s tax rate increases, along with the total tax rate increases (City/ Region/education) have been consistently lower in comparison to the average price for goods and services purchased by households (represented by the Consumer Price Index or CPI) as well as the average retail price for gasoline at Canadian service stations. This is something that we are very proud of and have worked very hard to achieve for the residents of Mississauga.
Although we are a large city, the distance from your phone or computer to my office is short. I respond quickly to suggestions for improvements, cost control and future spending. As a progressive Councillor, I look for good value in spending opportunities with other levels of government or the private sector. The bottom line is accountability and affordability. Our City, I'm proud to say, has both.
Keeping Our City Safe
Public safety and security is at the foundation of a prosperous community. We all need to feel safe and secure. Mississauga has the lowest crime rate for a large city, in Canada. Within Mississauga itself, our ward has one of the lowest rates of crime. This is due in part to our excellent police force and the support they receive from citizens and Council.
Safe City Mississauga works with the police, school boards, business groups and the public to promote crime prevention through programs like Neighbourhood Watch, the Crossroads Youth Academy, and Suspicious Activity Watch (S.A.W.). In the past year, two public crime prevention meetings have been held to help residents protect their property and personal safety.
As your Councillor, I routinely share information on public safety programs like Road Watch and Speed Watch. I've successfully used traffic calming measures such as road painting, lane narrowing, reduced speed limits and additional stop signs when warranted. I work closely with police to maintain safety around schools, parks and walking routes. I have taken the "Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)" course offered by Peel Regional Police. This training has helped me to identify and remedy potential crime areas in our community. I am the only Councillor in Peel Region to have achieved this designation.
Property standards, litter and by-law infractions can all lead to more serious crime and reduced property values. I work closely with our staff to maintain high standards, remove graffiti and encourage property owners to do the same. You have my commitment to maintain and enhance these programs and to ensure proper enforcement.
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