Posts Tagged ‘311’

The 311 conspiracy theory is kiboshed!

Posted by Jonathan Ross

The City Caucus boys seem to think that Vision Mayor and Councillors"don't want a single legacy from the previous regime to be successful."

City Caucus' Daniel Fontaine thinks that the Vision Mayor and Councillors "don't want a single legacy from the previous regime to be successful."

The truth is out there. A 311 system has been created for Vancouver, and in fact is already in use – SINCE FEBRUARY 16, but somehow, there is a conspiracy behind the system’s implementation.

At least, that is what you might believe after reading this post by Daniel Fontaine of City Caucus. Daniel was of course the former Chief of Staff to Mayor Sam Sullivan during his single term in office, which is when the 311 motion was passed by the NPA majority council.

This is the query that Fontaine puts forth:

“When you compare this to how every other major city in North America promotes their 311 service, you have to ask why the City of Vancouver remains mum.”

Well yesterday, I decided to make few calls to City Hall to track down why 311 hasn’t been “officially announced by the City of Vancouver.”

Well, after speaking to a few city staff in both the Business Planning and Services department which handles information technology issues and the Corporate Communications team, I got an answer.

Now come closer, and be quiet. I’ll whisper it in your ear. But first, put on your tin foil hat. You ready?

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City’s operating budget needs to be kept under control

Posted by Jonathan Ross

Vancouver's ballooning budget needs to be carefully examined for the upcoming budget, which will be finalized in December.

Vancouver's ballooning spending needs to be carefully examined for the upcoming budget, which will be finalized in December.

Between 2005 and 2009, the operating budget for the City of Vancouver went up by 19.4 per cent, from $773 to $923 million.

Year    Operating Budget (in millions)
2005    773
2006    813
2007    848
2008    894
2009    923

Sources:

Olympic cost rhetoric aside, this is a dramatic increase that really needs to be examined carefully, making City Manager Penny Ballem’s current services review process a necessary step towards reining in Vancouver’s budget.

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Tue May 22, 2012

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FACT OF THE DAY

In 2010, Vancouver had fewer than half the number of murders than it had in 2009.  There were nine homicides within Vancouver’s city limits, down from 19 killings the previous year.

Quote OF THE DAY

“Perhaps it was my silk dress or the new perfume I’ve been wearing lately. When I asked Suzanne Anton what her New Year’s resolution was, she replied, “To kiss a pretty girl!” and pecked me on the cheek.”  – Writer Emily Barca describing her encounter with the lone NPA City Councillor on New Year’s Eve.

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