Last year around this time I wrote a blog on Mayor Jim Watson (A good Watson versus a great Watson).  I stated I know that he would be a good mayor but asked can he be a great mayor.  I still can’t say that I think he will be a great mayor.
Since his election in 2010, he has yet to define the kind of city he wants to preside over.  What will Ottawa be transformed into over his tenure as mayor?  Over the past year, the only legacy he has …

There is no wiggle room to break a promise made in the last municipal election.  Mayor Jim Watson made a promise to Ottawa taxpayers that if he was elected mayor, he would not raise property taxes more than 2.5% in any year of his tenure.  In fact, after winning the election, in his first speech to City Council as mayor, he reminded us “In my campaign I pledged that I would hold the line on property tax increases to no more than 2.5% a year.”  Then, one of council’s first …

As recently reported, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson sent out five questions to local candidates on a number of city issues and asking how they and their party stand on each item.  Responses are to be published before the end of September I think.  I have no problem with Mayor Watson sending out questionnaires to all candidates about their positions on city related files such as transit and shares social costs.  The question is how is he planning on using it?  If the plan is to hold elected MPPs to their …

Mayor Jim Watson is right to prod the PC Leader Tim Hudak about honouring the commitment that the current premier has made to Ottawa and other cities.  Ottawa is banking on the costs of certain services being uploaded to the province.  If some future costs are not offset by provincial dollars, it would mean having to make cuts somewhere in the city budget or raising property taxes. An Ottawa Sun article (City, Grits to Hudak: Will Tories upload costs?) puts the facts out on the table from the city’s point …

If there was any thought that City Hall is out of touch with the people they are suppose to serve, here is an example that should clear up any doubt:
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITY OF OTTAWA
Date: Wednesday 15 June 2011
Contact: Public Affairs (613-580-2450), medias@ottawa.ca
NR: Positive change continues in the Banff-Ledbury Community

Ottawa – River Ward City Councillor Maria McRae and Ottawa Community Housing CEO Jo-Anne Poirier joined the Banff-Ledbury community and community partners to open an exciting new community hub, the Ledbury Park Pavilion.

“This new meeting place is a …

Mayor Jim Watson is in the seemingly odd position of having to stave off criticism on two recent decisions. First was the naming of the new city archives building and the second was a special proclamation.
There are lots of arguments to be made for both issues pro and con.  But in the grand scheme of things, are these really the important issues facing the city?  Watson gladly changed his mind on the Charlotte Whitton naming issues because the issue was worth the public outcry it created.  It was only a …

Yesterday, Councillor Maria McRae and the environment committee passed a water rate increase of 3.9%.  That’s 1.5% more than the property tax rate increase but a lot less than the ridiculous rate rises of prior years that saw increases as high as 10%.  Could they have done better?  Maybe but at least the movement is in the right direction.
The one caveat is that in making the rate announcement, taxpayers were warned that some planned infrastructure improvements maybe delayed because of the 2.5% property tax rate cap imposed by Mayor Jim …

Lucia Harper (The Other Harper), is also looking forward to this federal election.  She believes that social media will rise in usage as a way to reach out the potential voters.  She notes that other prominent local politicians, Jim Watson, Yasir Naqvi, Lisa MacLeod and Tim Tierney, use social media profusely.
You can read more at Federal Elections Socially Speaking.

I’ve always said that Jim Watson would be a good mayor, maybe even an above average mayor because of all of his political experience, but I still have doubts about him being a great mayor.  I feel he is not thinking big enough to be the visionary that will qualify him as great mayor.
Why do I say this?  Well, the most recent indicator is his rush to spend $400,000 to bring FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015.  It’s a good plan to bring a …

Recently, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson proposed a non-controversial budget, which was approved and applauded unanimously by Council.
The budget included a 2.45 percent tax hike for urban residential and commercial properties and a 2.4 percent hike for rural properties. The tax increases will mean an average hike of $75 for urban residential properties, $60 for rural properties and $111 for commercial properties. The total tax-supported budget for 2011 will set operational spending at $2.4 billion and allocate $622 million for new capital projects.  This honeymoon budget underscores Watson’s commitment to his …