I would like to relate a story I witnessed during this municipal election.
I met a husband and wife that I will call G.I. Joe and Barbie. Joe is in his 89th year with a liver disease and kidney issues that will soon end his life. Barbie just celebrated her 85th birthday, although she didn’t know it, who has dementia and Alzheimer's. Barbie can not be left alone as she loves the smell of candles and is always wanting to have one burning.
Joe is her primary caregiver and this is a full time job for him. He loves his wife and life with her as they have been married for 63 years. They have two kids, who try to help but it is difficult to balance family and jobs.
Joe is worried now for the future. What will happen if he passes? Who will take care of his family, his life. His opinion is that we need long-term care facility and a hospital that can take care of the ever-growing and aging population in his hometown. Why do we have to wait 10 years for a hospital and why did the city stop the development of a private LTC on Speedvale Ave. a few years back?
Why is a $62-million library when there is a great library in the downtown core that could be revitalized for one third of the cost and each ward has a satellite library
Rodrigo Goller, Phil Allt, Dominique O’Rourke Cathy Downer and Leanne Caron-Piper voted in favor of tax increases of 4.21 per cent and 5.17 per cent for the next two years and will be on your taxes for 19 years more, which included a 0.39 per cent levee for this library.
In my opinion, we need a LTC facility, affordable housing, senior housing, clean-up and revitalization of the downtown core, and help for disadvantaged people throughout the city. We need people that will work for and listen to the people they supposedly represent instead of vanity projects.
Find councillors that are willing to work for the people and vote for them. It is time for a change and a change for the better.
Robert Coole, Guelph
(Editor's note: The 2022 city budget passed by an 8-5 vote. Voting in favour: Phil Allt, Leanne Caron, Cathy Downer, Rodrigo Goller, James Gordon, June Hofland, Mark MacKinnon and Mike Salisbury. Voting Against: Cam Guthrie, Bob Bell, Christine Billings, Dan Gibson and Dominique O'Rourke)
