I Heart Regina

Jim Holmes comes out swinging again!

At the University of Regina yesterday, two candidates for Mayor squared off. Jim Holmes came out the of corner swinging, with jabs and upper cuts: “We’ve told you about our finances. You can have the rest of my time to tell us about yours” The crowd drew a sharp intake of breath and awaited Mayor Pat Fiacco's response.

Whoa, who, whoa! Wait right there! First off, is there the slightest chance that the U of R might have a slightly biased audience? Really! Citizen Wilson counts Waaaaaayyyy more left turns on that campus than right turns, which kinda leads him to believe that maybe, just maybe, Mayor Pat Fiacco might have expected a few sucker punches coming his way at this debate. Pat was a little off his Fight Club game, and rolled with the punches. Sorry Pat, it wasn't your finest hour in the ring, but it’s still early in the campaign.

Jim is trying hard, feinting, jabbing, bobbing and weaving, dancing in circles, cart wheeling his arms, hoping to land a stinging blow. But Citizen Wilson is begining to think that the flurry of punches and fancy foot work going on in the ring is merely a smoke screen thrown to hide the fact that Jim has no answers, no real game plan, and nothing to offer Regina other than the "I'm NOT Pat" option. I can't help but think: "Jim, you ain't no Muhammad Ali. In fact, I think that: " you sting like a butterfly, and dance like a bee."

Sissy Fight!

Jim, you raise your objection that Regina doesn't do much to fund 'liberal arts'. Off all the construction going on at the University, how come Liberal Arts seem to get more than its share of funding? Sports can't get a new arena, and it is vehemently opposed by the Liberal Arts supporters. How come Arts whines the loudest and gets facilities first?

Jim, you want raise objections to Urban Sprawl. What say we place a moratorium on new building at the University? Traffic along Wascana Parkway is backing up further and further along the Parkway. There are a lot of accidents at the corner of Grant Road and Wascana, and even further by the old Plains Hospital. How would you like it if we citizens decided to limit growth on Campus because the infrastructure can't keep up?

Jim, you want to enforce growth in the Downtown core. How soon you forget that the same five year tax break developers get out in the East End, also applies to development in the Cathedral area. How come there is not a rush to the Cathedral Core? Is the market telling you something? I think that the good people of Regina are voting with their spending dollars, and their feet, and the growth and traffic pattern is telling this Citizen the CCFR platform is out of touch with what the people REALLY want.

TKO

One more point Jim, The power of an elected official exists in the MAJORITY of the votes. The Mayor's chair has only ONE vote. It carries no more, and no less power than the other votes of the City Council. The Mayor has no real power to change anything, he or she must convince the majority of City Council to vote with or against the motions presented. So Jim, the power is NOT in the punch thrown, the power lies in the ABILITY to NEGOTIATE your opponent to the mat. I would hope you find out how much real power a mayor has, and how much power lies in consensus. But then again, it’s up to the Good People of Regina to determine that, and I believe the Good People of Regina see beyond the mud slinging to the real issues facing the City of Regina.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!