What a person doesn’t say can be as important as what they do say. Here’s an example from the Oakland-Wawanesa council meeting on Tuesday, May 21. Head of council Dave Kreklewich refused to apologize for misleading residents about the increased municipal tax burden on Oakland since amalgamation with Wawanesa in 2015. I called for the […]
As a long-time journalist, I am fascinated with what’s called ‘managing the message’. That’s when somebody with something to say doles out what they want you to know. Their version of the truth. Let’s take recent events in Oakland-Wawanesa. Within 5 weeks, two councillors resigned and a new budget was approved, despite petitions and challenges […]
Like a predictable movie, council unanimously approved the 2019 budget Friday, pushing municipal spending to an all-time high and tagging rural ratepayers with 86% of the costs for services shared with Wawanesa. In doing so, Oakland-Wawanesa councillors ignored petitions and requests from residents for a fair tax solution. But they promised to try harder next […]
Beyond the money…beyond the need for a fair tax solution…Oakland-Wawanesa council has to start showing respect for rural residents. I’m hoping it happens Friday May 2, when I appeal again for council to correct a tax imbalance in place since amalgamation and shift $139,872 in rural taxes onto Wawanesa ratepayers. You can read more about […]
Since 2015, Oakland-Wawanesa council has repeatedly dismissed calls to fix the budget imbalance in which Oakland pays disproportionately more than Wawanesa for shared services. With another municipal budget expected to be approved on May 2, I want to recap council’s unwillingness to find a fair tax solution: August 2015. Council muzzles rural councillor Dennis Rome […]