Official Brian Bowman Thread

[buzzg]

Maybe we're wrong on Bowman and he's being quiet with a purpose. He's the first person to have the balls (at least in a top position) to come outright and say the suburbs need to start paying their share of growth fees per capita. I commend him on finally discussing and standing behind this issue... and it's something many posters on here have called for for ages.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...390606171.html

[bomberjet]

I'll give him credit on the Police budget. He did not bow down.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Maybe we're wrong on Bowman and he's being quiet with a purpose. He's the first person to have the balls (at least in a top position) to come outright and say the suburbs need to start paying their share of growth fees per capita. I commend him on finally discussing and standing behind this issue... and it's something many posters on here have called for for ages.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...390606171.html

....and the mayors of the surrounding municipalities collectively reach skyward, look up and whisper 'thank you'.

[CoryB]

Not surprising that as the southwest corner where Bowman's support was the strongest nears the end of developer single family land that he would propose a growth field on new construction. The growth fee would have the largest impact on parts of the city that more strongly supported other candidates in the previous election. It is also not surprising that the proposed growth fee would give a nice boost to the resale value of existing homes, especially newer resale homes.

Well played Mr Bowman.

[rrskylar]

Saw this list in the comments section on a Winnipeg Free Press article, thought it was interesting and why Bowman is a complete failure as mayor!

Bowman had directed all the new cash grabs.

1. Tickets in School Zones.

2. More Photo Radar cars.

3. Increase in frontage taxes.

4. Increase in property taxes (3 times)

5. More than Doubled building permit fees.

6. Zoning applications went from $1500.00 to $12,000.00

7. Issuing 5000% more building permit fines for starting with out a permit even if the plans were submitted to the city.

8. Increase in fines with Fire Dept. for non-compliance with fire extinguishers.

9. Increase of over 25% in water bills.

10. Waterways permit went up 300%

11. Development fees for homes and apartments starting at approx. $5000.00

[Cyro]

Continue Brian Bowman discussion here.

[Urban recluse]

I doubt we will see a real opponent.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Saw this list in the comments section on a Winnipeg Free Press article, thought it was interesting and why Bowman is a complete failure as mayor!

Bowman had directed all the new cash grabs.

1. Tickets in School Zones.

Good

2. More Photo Radar cars.

Also good.

3. Increase in frontage taxes.

4. Increase in property taxes (3 times)

Do people want the roads fixed or not?

5. More than Doubled building permit fees.

6. Zoning applications went from $1500.00 to $12,000.00

7. Issuing 5000% more building permit fines for starting with out a permit even if the plans were submitted to the city.

8. Increase in fines with Fire Dept. for non-compliance with fire extinguishers.

9. Increase of over 25% in water bills.

10. Waterways permit went up 300%

11. Development fees for homes and apartments starting at approx. $5000.00

People don't seem to realize that things cost money (a lot of money). That has to come from somewhere. Winnipegers have been on a free ride for far too long.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Saw this list in the comments section on a Winnipeg Free Press article, thought it was interesting and why Bowman is a complete failure as mayor!

Bowman had directed all the new cash grabs.

1. Tickets in School Zones.

2. More Photo Radar cars.

3. Increase in frontage taxes.

4. Increase in property taxes (3 times)

5. More than Doubled building permit fees.

6. Zoning applications went from $1500.00 to $12,000.00

7. Issuing 5000% more building permit fines for starting with out a permit even if the plans were submitted to the city.

8. Increase in fines with Fire Dept. for non-compliance with fire extinguishers.

9. Increase of over 25% in water bills.

10. Waterways permit went up 300%

11. Development fees for homes and apartments starting at approx. $5000.00

In fairness to Bowman, the City's bills keep rising but as has been pointed out numerous times by mayors on the left and right, it has limited tools at its disposal to generate revenue to pay them.

I don't like tax hikes any more than the next guy, but what is the alternative? Even if you aggressively went after emergency service costs, there would still be mounting bills to pay. Municipal governments are not in an enviable situation.

Let me put it this way, even if someone challenges and defeats Bowman, they'll be in the exact same position Bowman is in.

[Urban recluse]

That is true. I think if Winnipeg, especially downtown, wants to look vibrant, a lot of it has to do with new infrastructure, and the cost is beyond what Ottawa contributes.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Saw this list in the comments section on a Winnipeg Free Press article, thought it was interesting and why Bowman is a complete failure as mayor!

Bowman had directed all the new cash grabs.

1. Tickets in School Zones.

2. More Photo Radar cars.

3. Increase in frontage taxes.

4. Increase in property taxes (3 times)

5. More than Doubled building permit fees.

6. Zoning applications went from $1500.00 to $12,000.00

7. Issuing 5000% more building permit fines for starting with out a permit even if the plans were submitted to the city.

8. Increase in fines with Fire Dept. for non-compliance with fire extinguishers.

9. Increase of over 25% in water bills.

10. Waterways permit went up 300%

11. Development fees for homes and apartments starting at approx. $5000.00

lol. This list is a reason why he's a complete failure as a mayor? Higher property taxes was part of the platform that got him elected. I have zero doubt that if he decides to run again he'll get re-elected.


But then again it was in the comments section of the WFP so it must be how the majority of people feel.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

I doubt we will see a real opponent.

Bowman's support was strongest in southwest Winnipeg, strong in other parts of south Winnipeg and nearly non-existent in central and north Winnipeg. To be a serious contender to oust Bowman at this point you need a candidate that that both grab the support in areas missed by Bowman and eat into his established support in south Winnipeg. It will require a pretty rare unicorn the pull that off.

Most of the serious opponents of merit are likely to sit out the upcoming election as they will focus their efforts on building a portfolio to run when the mayor's office is not contested by an incumbent. It is possible the NDP will get someone to put their name forward just on principle.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Bowman's support was strongest in southwest Winnipeg, strong in other parts of south Winnipeg and nearly non-existent in central and north Winnipeg. To be a serious contender to oust Bowman at this point you need a candidate that that both grab the support in areas missed by Bowman and eat into his established support in south Winnipeg. It will require a pretty rare unicorn the pull that off.

Most of the serious opponents of merit are likely to sit out the upcoming election as they will focus their efforts on building a portfolio to run when the mayor's office is not contested by an incumbent. It is possible the NDP will get someone to put their name forward just on principle.

Katz faced off against very weak challengers the first time he ran for re-election in 2006. I suspect Bowman will deal with heavier competition than Katz did that time out, but I think you're right, I'm sure the people serious about eventually making a run for the mayoralty will keep their powder dry until 2022 when by that point Bowman will probably be a lot more vulnerable. In other words, Bowman will win again in 2018. The question is really whether he'll keep going in 2022 or would he rather hand off the reins as the centre-right standard bearer to someone else.

[Urban recluse]

The lack of names in the ring, to me, is indicative of how tough the job is. Winnipeg has more challenges than many other cities.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Good



Also good.



Do people want the roads fixed or not?



People don't seem to realize that things cost money (a lot of money). That has to come from somewhere. Winnipegers have been on a free ride for far too long.

Good???


How?


He has yet to demonstrate that he can do anything, as he only charges for everything?


Everyone can grab money, it's what you can do with what you have! There is enough in the city budget to actually ACT on a lot of the priorities espoused by Winnipeggers.

Show me how you can use the money we have now, and THEN I'll trust you with more.

Because right now, he's committed a million PR blunders so I'm not inclined to think he can properly manage a single dime, even if it sounds like it's going to a good purpose.

Originally Posted by cheswick

lol. This list is a reason why he's a complete failure as a mayor? Higher property taxes was part of the platform that got him elected. I have zero doubt that if he decides to run again he'll get re-elected.


But then again it was in the comments section of the WFP so it must be how the majority of people feel.

This list isn't entirely it, of course, but I do not know anyone closely who is in any way enamored with his work so far, or more importantly, how clumsily he goes about it.

For example...

Development fees? In principle, not wrong. But he tried to hammer it through and demanded amounts far higher than he should have started with. He included downtown, despite the fact that the infrastructure is there, and that any mature neighbourhood has more than paid for growth and covered it for decades of property taxes. He only retracted after pressure.

He acts recklessly and heavily to get what he wants, despite his ignorance, and only steps back after being told to shut up by smart people. Another example was him trying to dick measure himself to True North years back, getting all his facts wrong, and eventually offering them way more TIFF money than imaginable.

He wants to open P+M. He hinted at vision and potential, and it seems it's just going to be a jackhammer to take those things down. He commissioned a report and won't show it. Bear in mind, I'm FOR the opening of the intersection. But Bowman is handling this as poorly as possible

Even if some of these taxes make sense, we'll never know if we can achieve more with what we currently have because Bowman is incompetent, and doesn't ask for permission, just forgiveness. Everything he does, good or bad, he does as poorly as possible.

I don't think it will be hard to find a challenger.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

The lack of names in the ring, to me, is indicative of how tough the job is. Winnipeg has more challenges than many other cities.

Doesn't pay enough.

Didn't Bowman offer a reduction of his own wage? lol.

If anything, that means this is a temporary vanity exercise to Glen Murray his way into the Federal Liberal Party.

If not that, it means he's dumb.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

Good???


How?

Speeding fines (taxes) are completely avoidable. They're a great source of revenue in that way.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

Doesn't pay enough.

Didn't Bowman offer a reduction of his own wage? lol.

If anything, that means this is a temporary vanity exercise to Glen Murray his way into the Federal Liberal Party.

If not that, it means he's dumb.

Does he have such aspirations?

[jigglysquishy]

Too low development fees is common Canada wide. Taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing development.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Targeting good drivers who've driven 50 kph in residential zones for 40+ years and qualifying it with times of day and then certain months of the year only and on top of that punking the citizenry on holidays is asshole behaviour at best and likely criminal at worst. I've fought every one of them and won.

And of course charging triple what other jurisdictions in Canada charge? Yeah, that's a tax.

It should be 40 kph in school zones at all times period. But that wouldn't make money would it?