The Civic Mistress

Are you sober when you type these?

2012-06-02T23:34:20.469-06:00

Are you sober when you type these?

Dearest Mistress; You have hit the nail squarely o...

2012-06-01T09:17:10.324-06:00

Dearest Mistress;
You have hit the nail squarely on the head except you missed a couple of the main issues for Police; Drugs and Alcohol! If it was not for those two issues you could probably reduce your Police Service by 50%. Making poverty a cause is unfair to the large majority off our or any cities poor who do not cause any extra work for police and function exceedingly well in the community. The same can be said for mental illness the majority of which function well in society. It is the perfect storm of poverty, mental illness with drugs and alcohol that create most of the police issues they have to deal with.

The new Holiday Inn in downtown Saskatoon more clo...

2012-05-25T02:05:02.518-06:00

The new Holiday Inn in downtown Saskatoon more closely resembles a high security prison than a hotel. Just needs a couple of guard towers and we are ready to handle the hoards of drug dealers and 20yr old gun owners fueled with alcohol from Taranta.
But hey we can run off to the sprawling burbs and feel relatively safe living next to a grow op. Yes life is grand.

Ray Martineau could be warden and hand out prisone...

2012-05-24T17:12:02.747-06:00

Ray Martineau could be warden and hand out prisoner sketches to tourist. Sounds like a great expansion of the arts for a growing city.

Solution: The Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan ca...

2012-05-24T16:22:21.991-06:00

Solution: The Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan can easily be converted into the Remai Prison of Saskatraz!

Lots of that City money will come from the land ba...

2012-05-23T17:32:43.359-06:00

Lots of that City money will come from the land bank reserve fund which is created by charging $190,000 for a lot. Affordable housing? Charge less for a serviced lot and the cost of a new house will drop and that will have a downward effect on prices for the rest of the housing market.

We need three more seats for more incompetant boob...

2012-05-22T14:05:31.388-06:00

We need three more seats for more incompetant boobs in the legislature like a fish needs a bicycle. We need fewer nor more let's reduce this big government that we can't afford!

YAWN

2012-05-16T11:43:30.453-06:00

YAWN

They're not cutting kindergarten. Just the par...

2012-05-16T01:27:01.953-06:00

They're not cutting kindergarten. Just the part that isn't funded by the province. The full day kindergarten.

Thank you for this post. I'm very glad to see ...

2012-05-15T03:38:07.097-06:00

Thank you for this post. I'm very glad to see others care about the future of this beautiful building. I hope those who can will whip out their wallets.- Brynn Harris.

School boards should have right to tax. It's t...

2012-05-14T22:36:56.742-06:00

School boards should have right to tax. It's teir job to run education system which they know what I needs. It would make school boards more accountable

If the "tipping point" for staying in yo...

2012-05-13T00:56:18.147-06:00

If the "tipping point" for staying in your house is this meager subsidy then you really can't afford your house anymore. Time to sell, take your tax free capital gain and downsize or rent.

I really don't have a problem with some type of deferral program. But it should be charging enough interest to cover the cost/TVM. Like every other property tax deferral program in North America that I am aware of.

This is a deferral program in name only. It's really just a subsidy. Why not just call a spade a spade?

Your guess is wrong. I was born here. Why don...

2012-05-13T00:36:50.128-06:00

Your guess is wrong. I was born here.

Why don't we just give everybody a subsidy I mean "deferral" then?

Better yet, why don't we just cut property taxes by 20% for everybody? Then no subsidy I mean "deferral" would be necessary.

There are under 700 households eligible for the pr...

2012-05-11T09:23:20.662-06:00

There are under 700 households eligible for the program presently and it only applies to the yearly property tax increase amount, not the entire bill. Additionally, individuals must apply for the program every year.

I think it's a good program with good intentions that will keep some seniors in their homes where they want to be a little bit longer.

Like Dr.Phil says "either you get it or you d...

2012-05-11T07:17:33.662-06:00

Like Dr.Phil says "either you get it or you don't". Our lard ass bufoon of a Mayor went to Calgary on a missinformation campaign in 2005/2006.Housing prices doubled in 16 mos."Saskaboom",these seniors,(many in my block),had purchased these houses as their retirement home. Many had kids going into university or becoming married.The intent was to have room to entertain or accomodate future extended family,i.e. grandkids, in-laws.In my honest opinion, seniors should have tax burdens, such as education taxes reduced by a certain % each year after say 67.The value of having these pioneers in my community does not have a price. People,be careful what you wish for. Shame on you 1:07

@May 11, 2012 1:07 AM Its the price we pay for li...

2012-05-11T05:15:39.520-06:00

@May 11, 2012 1:07 AM

Its the price we pay for living in a society that cares about its people. Someday you may be in that situation. Just hope somebody gives a shit then.

I'm guessing your not a long time resident of Saskatoon as most people here care about each other.

The city is doing a great and honorable job on this.

Too bad this is being paid for by you and me and n...

2012-05-11T01:07:59.541-06:00

Too bad this is being paid for by you and me and not by the people using the program. There is no interest being charged. It's being funded by a levy on everyone.

So the rest of us get to eat the cost of the time-value of money.

Must be nice to be able to get an interest free loan that could last for several decades.

Don't worry, that infrastructure levy will be ...

2012-05-11T00:47:12.098-06:00

Don't worry, that infrastructure levy will be temporary, just like the flood protection levy.

:)

Holy contradiction, batman.

2012-05-11T00:44:28.722-06:00

Holy contradiction, batman.

"Secondly, I don't think students working...

2012-05-11T00:43:16.210-06:00

"Secondly, I don't think students working part-time jobs should have to pay dues. They get absolutely no benefit from the union" except "in protecting the rights and working conditions of their membership"

Sadly, everyone, especially the mayor and council,...

2012-05-10T01:19:23.236-06:00

Sadly, everyone, especially the mayor and council, and city hall workers, has/have their own agenda, and it seems to change like the weather. We don't have a solid plan for Saskatoon's future development...the city can't even pay for maintenance of the existing system. The taxpayers always get shafted in terms of quality of life and amount of taxes paid. Partly, it is our own fault for not being more proactive, and forcing certain issues, especially now with social networking. Shame. Saskatoon is a beautiful place, but it could be much better.

The CBC recently did a story about a cathedral in ...

2012-05-08T23:24:46.747-06:00

The CBC recently did a story about a cathedral in Montreal (I believe...somewhere in Quebec for sure) in a similar situation. However, rather than tear down the church, they converted it into condos. Folks, now live in the church building and the iconic building was saved...perhaps there's a forward thinking developer like that here in Saskatoon?

The Mistress says "Understandably, their fidu...

2012-05-08T06:48:21.516-06:00

The Mistress says "Understandably, their fiduciary duty is the churchs' congregants, not the city." but it is the congregation who is trying to designate it. The congregation is being blocked by the church central committees. Its a tricky internal battle. The congregation say they have the right because they built and maintained the building over the years. They want to leave it as a legacy. The Presbytery believe they have the right because they are in charge of the big picture and if designation decreases the sale value, that is less money for their valuable programs.

It's a bit different from many old buildings b...

2012-05-07T23:39:11.509-06:00

It's a bit different from many old buildings because it can actually generate revenue. The last two Jan lieseki concerts profited the group over $20k each, whereas yearly maintenance utilities insurance was only around $70k. The point is that someone can make this work financially if given a chance, once the congregation is gone. The info is on www.friendsof3au.blogspot.com

Really now! Payroll software has that embedded.One...

2012-05-07T09:35:59.204-06:00

Really now! Payroll software has that embedded.One click of a key and that transaction is completed electronically.
As for summer students, the dues are tax deductable. Member or not,by default collection of dues they are entitled to representation. The steward is obligated to represent them,and there has been more than one incompetant jobbie.