I am 53 years old and was born and raised in Elmira and love this township. To witness firsthand the transformation from what the township once was to what we are today is disheartening to say the least. I have built and sold 2 businesses in the township and retired from full time employment at 41 years old. I currently own and manage various real estate investment companies.  I am also currently, a project manager for a non-profit childcare that is in full expansion mode with Regional funding to increase childcare facilities throughout the Region.  We are working on our third project now that is scheduled to be completed before year end.  The first project we completed was in Elmira in 2023 at the former Mockingbird daycare.  It was scheduled for demolition by the Township, which was prevented, and brought back to life with a significant investment.  Ironically, the original Mockingbird daycare was built in 1974 and I attended it.
 

First off I would like to explain how I got here. Last September, I like my many, learned that Staff was proposing a 58% tax hike over 3 years. Then in November I learned that Staff came back with a minimum tax hike requirement of 13%. In the end I learned that a Strong Mayor budget was passed at a 7.8% increase to taxes. Honestly, I never thought more of it until in April when the Sunshine list came out. To be clear, I am not against the sunshine list or people making over 100k.  However, what did surprise me was the amount of some of the raises and the number of staff on list. Woolwich had 96 staff and 26 were on the list, equating to 27%. My first thought was nothing adds up. Staff were looking for a massive tax hike of 22% and in the end taxes were raised a modest 7.8% in comparison to the ask.  I then thought we can’t be in that bad of shape considering the raises and the number of staff on sunshine list.

 

Curiosity got the better of me and for the first time ever I decided to review the Township Budget Booklet, all 252 pages. Well this was an eye opener to say the least. I spent the month of April looking at the numbers and running calculations. My conclusion and my opinion from that review is that the Township is in a fiscal crisis and we are in fiscal survival mode. Simply put, we do not have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. In my opinion, the fact that the initial tax increase number of 58% over 3 years was floated only supports my fiscal crisis view. And in my opinion that still wouldn’t have been enough if the spending habits don’t change now. My opinion is that staff costs are unsustainable, expenses are climbing, reserves are depleted and debt is increasing.

I discussed my findings and numbers with several people and they all said I should run for mayor. I decided to go to the next level and started due diligence on my findings. In May I asked a Chartered Professional Accountant and a long serving municipal employee, both township residents, to review the budget to see if there findings were different from mine. They both came back to me using words like shocking and alarming after their reviews. I then took the month of June contemplating a run for mayor and having multiple discussions with my wife Christine as to whether this is something we should take on as it will be a drastic change to our current lifestyle. To be fully transparent, I have had and have zero political aspirations. I do however quite enjoy financial challenges and the township situation in my opinion is an exciting challenge that I am willing to enter on behalf of us, the residents.

 

If, with your support, I am fortunate enough to be elected then my hope and intention is to work with a council that is like minded and sees the urgency of the situation we are in.  The council needs to be united more than ever. I do not pretend to have all the answers. If given the opportunity to represent you the residents I would not only encourage but would welcome working with all of council to implement their cost saving ideas.  All of council needs a team approach in order to battle this economic crisis head on. That being said, I fully intend to run on Strong Mayors Powers, where and when needed, and when able in order to achieve financial sustainability. This is a needed measure in order to not only achieve fiscal stability but fiscal success, we are way past the fiscal responsibility and fiscal discipline stage. My platform is 100% to address the current financial situation and if elected I will take that as my mandate from you, the residents. We cannot address service needs, wants or wishes until we address the financial issues first. Simply put, there is no money. If we fix the money issue we then create the leverage to fix a lot of the service issues that I know you the residents have, such as snow removal, pot holes, weed management and the recreation services to name a few.

 

My commitment is to always be fully transparent with you, the residents, throughout my campaign and, if elected, for my entire term in office. If elected, I will keep residents informed by providing regular updates on cost-saving opportunities, spending reductions, and the progress we make in the priorities you entrusted me to deliver. I believe transparency and accountability are essential, and you deserve to know how your tax dollars are being managed and how your council is working on your behalf.

 

In the end, my platform should be self-explanatory after seeing first hand our current financial situation.  And with that I am hoping that I will earn your support and trust in the upcoming election to represent you the residents as your mayor.