Counterpoint: Question #2
The Lindsay Post is running a weekly series of questions, with answers by both the "Yes" and "No" sides of the issues.

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Question #2:If the vote goes your way, how do you envision the community(ies) in November of next year?

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Political structure: It's November, 2004. After a "Yes" vote in the 2003 referendum, the elected candidates became a Transition Council to restore the two-tier County structure. They have now finished their job and re-established our former County, town, village and township governments. The voluntary mergers and joint service agreements which were interrupted by the Kitchen Commission are now in place. Voters are going to the polls to elect their councils. At Town-Hall meetings voters and candidates discuss the benefits of further mergers or reciprocal agreements.
Taxes:
     For the first time in four years taxpayers will look forward to fiscal control and tax fairness.The bloated and expensive City bureaucracy will be gone. Local governments will tailor services and delivery to local needs and affordability. Each municipality will set its own tax rates and user fees for these services: true area rating.
     Under amalgamation there was one general tax (mil) rate, so that annual property re-assessment became a "hidden tax", and shifted tax burdens across municipalities. This should be alleviated when the municipalities are restored, and local Councils control local tax rates.
Service Delivery:
      When people were paying "City" taxes, they demanded "City" services, so there was a general leveling up of costs. When Councils have local control of their service levels, they can adjust them according to their taxpayers' needs. For example, cottagers want their garbage collected on Mondays, not left for the raccoons until Friday. Many rural residents are willing to take their garbage to the end of their road, rather than pay increased taxes for curbside pickup.
     Customer response times will improve. Roads will be well maintained, as they were before amalgamation, at at an affordable cost.
Economic Development:
      As taxes go down, real estate sales will increase. The prospect of lower taxes also attracts businesses to the area. As costs are spread across an increased tax base, taxes can be lowered further. Local employment will increase as new businesses arrive, and existing businesses revive. Local municipalities will hire local contractors. Maintenance jobs which were taken over by the City will be given back to local tradespeople. People will be able to earn a living in their own communities.
Volunteers:
      Because of amalgamation volunteerism dropped off. People identified with their local communities, not a huge, generic "city". Many of the former volunteer activities had been taken over by paid City employees. By November 2004, volunteers will be back in large forces, grateful to once again be allowed to donate their time and talents to their own neighbours. People will pitch in and work together in a concerted effort to improve their communities while living within the means of local taxpayers.
Community involvement:
     In this renewed spirit of community, we will see many more local events. Treasuring what they almost lost, people will celebrate their history. Traditional events which had been cancelled because of restrictive and unrealistic requirements of "city" bylaws will be resumed.
Democracy:
     If there was one silver lining in the amalgamation cloud it is this: the voters of Victoria County are both involved and informed. In the November 2004 elections the public will be knowledgeable about the issues, and eager to regain control of their own local affairs. Good candidates who were reluctant to run in the past will be persuaded to give their talents to their municipality. After its near-death experience, democracy will be reinvigorated. People won't lose through apathy what they fought so hard to regain.