Monday, June 10, 2013

Stormwater Funding -- from Grandview Area RA to General Committee June 10, 2013

Good morning Councillors Burke, Shore,  and other members of Council:

I too was made aware of this issue late yesterday and would like to thank
Toinette Bezant for submitting her comments so expeditiously.

GARA was also taken by surprised by the recommendation to remove the Gas Tax
from storm water infrastructure funding.

We were very encouraged, earlier this year, by Council's apparent
understanding of the importance of this issue when it passed the motion for
storm water infrastructure to be funded on a city-wide basis.

Now, this report that recommends the exclusion of one of the most important
ways to fund that work seems inconsistent and inconceivable.  We fail to
understand the rationale for this recommendation, especially since the Gas
Tax was specifically meant to be used for municipal infrastructure projects
and other cities are doing just that.

What is the logic of the majority of Council (a large majority) agreeing to
fund storm water infrastructure on a city wide basis and then voting to
remove a major source of funding to permit that to happen?  June is too late
for an April Fool's joke.

I am sure that Markham can come up with many ways of using the Gas Tax, but
I doubt that they are more important than keeping raw sewage out of our
basements and our waterways,  keeping our roads, bridges, and other public
assets from flooding, or keeping our residents safe in their homes and
businesses.

Thank you for considering our views.

Marilyn Ginsburg,
Grandview Area Residents Assoc.

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