December 14, 2009 - 1:33 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Moving on.
And let’s get something straight. Praise is not what Penny Ballem deserves, considering that refusing such a pay raise is indicative of basic common sense – a filter that fervent political observers sometimes lack (and that at times includes myself).
December 2, 2009 - 12:44 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross

Inspiration for Gregor Robertson and Penny Ballem as they shape the upcoming budget.
Just read over the administrative report from the General Manager of Financial Services to City Council on the 2010 Operating Budget estimates.
“Council had provided direction in a number of areas that helped inform the 2010 Budget strategy:
- Minimize property tax increases over two to three years
- Maintain all necessary health and safety standards
- Protect services to vulnerable populations
- Protect arts and culture
- Invest in economic development including optimize Olympic opportunity
- Support greenest city initiatives
- Examine the service delivery of all city services and streamline to make more efficient
- Strategically implement any reductions to services to minimize the impact as much as possible on citizens and staff”
A couple of thoughts:
- Read the rest of this entry »
November 13, 2009 - 6:02 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Hot off the presses:
“Memorandum: 2010 Operating Budget” from City Manager from Penny Ballem.
So, 158 FTE out of a total city staff of about 10,000 is far less that I was expecting. These could shockingly be the most innocuous of the cuts. Let’s see where they go next.
October 28, 2009 - 1:23 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Are stories of Vanouver Police officers running intimidation tactics on the homeless true? Hard to tell to what extent, if at all.

But details emerging from the mouths of tent dwellers about being pressured to leave the area don’t seem to be coming out of thin air (the part about being pushed up against vans and told to pick up their s–t and get out of town? Well that’s a different story).
I found this piece of the above-linked article very telling however:
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