A group of concerned citizens has organized an effort to circulate petitions among the residents of Harrow & Colchester South seeking citizen approval to de-amalgamate and separate from the present Town of Essex.
Our goals include returning control of our local government to local citizens and to put a stop to thoughts of spending our tax dollars on a new arena.
Volunteers to help with petitions and canvassing will be welcomed.
In 1999, the former municipalities of Harrow, Colchester South, Colchester North & the old Town of Essex were, without local citizen approval, amalgamated into a single governmental unit. This forced amalgamation process was instituted on many provincial municipalities by the Harris Government’s “Common Sense Revolution”.
In most cases, this amalgamation is not working…!! It has proven to be disastrous, ….in more ways than one
Provincially, some 177 smaller, local governing units were “amalgamated” into 24 regional amalgamations. Currently, 17 of those forced amalgamations are going through various stages of attempting to “De-amalgamate”, to return to their previous form of local government.
The basic reasons for the lack of acceptance by the public to these forced amalgamations and the fundamental cause of the ensuing public outcry is that the local citizenry in these involved communities did not have a voice in making the decision.
The unfortunate belief by the Provincial Government that these forced amalgamations would be easily and widely accepted has been a colossal misjudgment on the part of the senior bureaucrats in Toronto and Queen’s Park. Instead, it has proven to be a seriously flawed process that has resulted in escalating taxes, higher costs, anger, suspicion, feelings of betrayal, loss of local control, unrest and deep divisions within these communities.
Examples are all around us in Southern Ontario as evidenced by formation of similar groups such as ours in: Chatham-Kent, London area –Alsa Craig, Flamborough, Glanworth and others in the Hamilton Region, Kawartha Lakes, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay; Orleans, Gloucester and others in the Ottawa-Carleton Region, ….the list goes on.
Then there’s the Ontario De-amalgamation Network (ODN), Voices of Central Ontario (VOCO), and the newly formed Ontario Landowners Association (OLA).
For us, amalgamation has produced a dysfunctional government. Contrary to earlier promises, taxes and costs have been increasing, better, more efficient service delivery hasn’t happened, less bureaucracy and streamlined government are unrealistic pipe-dreams..!!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If we leave the Town of Essex, where will we go?
Harrow & Colchester South did not need to amalgamated for any financial reasons. The amalgamation was imposed on us for political reasons by Queens Park. We will be able to return to our previous status, united under a single local governing body of our own choosing.
Wouldn't it be better to help to improve the situation within the Town of Essex than start a painful re-organizing over again?
Our councilors have attempted to provide the Town council with well researched, common sense proposals which reflect the concerns of Harrow and Colchester South. In most instances, they have been over-ruled by the controlling majority of 'old' Essex councilors.
Why don't we simply get everyone to sign a petition showing the overwhelming support for de-amalgamation and take it to the government in power?
We have been down that road before. Early petitions stalled in the Town Hall & Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The rest is history.
Is the situation really as bad as some people are saying?
The Town of Essex has been poorly managed and is in debt $25 million. It stands to reason that this will only to get worse in future years with debt increasing to cover the costs of the proposed new arena.
What can be expected in tax increases for the coming years?
Harrow & Colchester South has been hit with a 3% municipal tax increase this year. This year's typical $2,000.00 residential tax bill will have swelled to approximately $2,325.00 over the next five years. ...and that's not using any built-in inflation factor...!!! We have an Urban Economics professional researching this topic. Results will be made available in the upcoming weeks.
Why would a petition work now when it failed to achieve de-amalgamation in the previous attempt?
A petition is a strong show of support for the committee to use which will indicate the overwhelming desire to leave the Town of Essex. However, the committee feels that we need to also be prepared to pursue legal action if necessary.
Will we pay for de-amalgamating and what would the cost be?
A figure of $13 million has been suggested. That number represents 50% of current debt and is purely subjective. It should be noted that all the infrastructure that was in place prior to amalgamation i still in existence and available to us.
However, our position is that as the Province forced us into this amalgamation, the Province should be held responsible for getting us out of this untenable situation.
The $25 million figure divided among the residents of the Town of Essex represents about $2800.00 per household. In most cases, that is far less that the anticipated tax increases over the next ten years. The sooner we act, the better..!
There will still be municipal taxes..!! Our objective, our philosophy, is that municipal taxes and major expenditures should be subject to the democratic will of our own community, sound business principles and approval of local community members..!!
How long would the process take?
If the case of de-amalgamation in a Montreal area community is a model, then it could take a matter of months. The present Ontario Provincial Government lacks the political will to do so and is deferring to un-elected advisors within the bureaucracy who are affecting our ability to determine our own course of action.
Who are the committee members? Are they being paid?
The committee is made up of concerned citizens who are prepared to lead the way for de-amalgamation. No one is being paid, it is strictly done on a volunteer basis with a commitment to the good of their community.
Harrow & Colchester South did not need to amalgamated for any financial reasons. The amalgamation was imposed on us for political reasons by Queens Park. We will be able to return to our previous status, united under a single local governing body of our own choosing.
Wouldn't it be better to help to improve the situation within the Town of Essex than start a painful re-organizing over again?
Our councilors have attempted to provide the Town council with well researched, common sense proposals which reflect the concerns of Harrow and Colchester South. In most instances, they have been over-ruled by the controlling majority of 'old' Essex councilors.
Why don't we simply get everyone to sign a petition showing the overwhelming support for de-amalgamation and take it to the government in power?
We have been down that road before. Early petitions stalled in the Town Hall & Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The rest is history.
Is the situation really as bad as some people are saying?
The Town of Essex has been poorly managed and is in debt $25 million. It stands to reason that this will only to get worse in future years with debt increasing to cover the costs of the proposed new arena.
What can be expected in tax increases for the coming years?
Harrow & Colchester South has been hit with a 3% municipal tax increase this year. This year's typical $2,000.00 residential tax bill will have swelled to approximately $2,325.00 over the next five years. ...and that's not using any built-in inflation factor...!!! We have an Urban Economics professional researching this topic. Results will be made available in the upcoming weeks.
Why would a petition work now when it failed to achieve de-amalgamation in the previous attempt?
A petition is a strong show of support for the committee to use which will indicate the overwhelming desire to leave the Town of Essex. However, the committee feels that we need to also be prepared to pursue legal action if necessary.
Will we pay for de-amalgamating and what would the cost be?
A figure of $13 million has been suggested. That number represents 50% of current debt and is purely subjective. It should be noted that all the infrastructure that was in place prior to amalgamation i still in existence and available to us.
However, our position is that as the Province forced us into this amalgamation, the Province should be held responsible for getting us out of this untenable situation.
The $25 million figure divided among the residents of the Town of Essex represents about $2800.00 per household. In most cases, that is far less that the anticipated tax increases over the next ten years. The sooner we act, the better..!
There will still be municipal taxes..!! Our objective, our philosophy, is that municipal taxes and major expenditures should be subject to the democratic will of our own community, sound business principles and approval of local community members..!!
How long would the process take?
If the case of de-amalgamation in a Montreal area community is a model, then it could take a matter of months. The present Ontario Provincial Government lacks the political will to do so and is deferring to un-elected advisors within the bureaucracy who are affecting our ability to determine our own course of action.
Who are the committee members? Are they being paid?
The committee is made up of concerned citizens who are prepared to lead the way for de-amalgamation. No one is being paid, it is strictly done on a volunteer basis with a commitment to the good of their community.
SCHAC Mission Statement
To have the Legislative Assembly of Ontario rescind the forced amalgamation order and return our local municipal government to the local citizens and their democratically elected officials in Harrow and Colchester South.
REASONS:
The Committee to Reinstate Harrow and Colchester South is independent of political party affiliation. It will however, use its lobbying power and influence on the Provincial Government as well as that of the Town of Essex to achieve the above objective. It believes that the communities of Harrow and Colchester South and its citizens have a democratic right to evaluate and decide on their future direction in terms of services & local government structure.
STRATEGIES:
These will include but will not be limited to:
REASONS:
- The citizens of Harrow & Colchester South had no direct say in the creation of the new Town of Essex.
- The government by regulation and legislation forced the recent amalgamation, against the will of the obvious majority of the people.
- The government has not delivered the promised streamlined, more efficient and accountable local government, nor the provision of better services at reduced costs.
- The promise of tax decreases by the Provincial Government has not been met.
- The expected transition costs to area taxpayers of this forced amalgamation have already exceeded the promised amount.
The Committee to Reinstate Harrow and Colchester South is independent of political party affiliation. It will however, use its lobbying power and influence on the Provincial Government as well as that of the Town of Essex to achieve the above objective. It believes that the communities of Harrow and Colchester South and its citizens have a democratic right to evaluate and decide on their future direction in terms of services & local government structure.
STRATEGIES:
These will include but will not be limited to:
- Petitions door-to-door: to show significant level support by the citizens of Harrow and Colchester South.
- Blue ribbon campaign: as a very visual reminder to both media and politicians of the level of support for the de-amalgamation campaign.
- Investigation of opportunities to proceed with legal actions: to identify precedents and legal cases through which the Committee may initiate proceedings in law to realize their democratic rights.
- Political lobbyists: to gain access to the key decision makers makes and arbitrators of actions which may bring about de-amalgamation.
- Reinstate Harrow & Colchester South web site for information on our planned activities and background.
- Research on fiscal issues and Press releases.
- Letter writing campaigns to MPPs. (including John Gerretsen - Minister of Muncipal Affairs and Housing)
- Newspaper advertising.
- All party election forums.
- Liaise with other interested citizens groups and business forums.
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