Old Letters Never Die

Imagine my surprise today when Sandy says I'm being quoted in Denis St. Pierre's article in the Sudbury Star. OK, the roads versus legacy projects debate is heating up and one of my briefer rants to the editor was published yesterday. But no, Denis is referring to another letter,one I wrote December 26, 2007 that the Star published January 8, 2008.

The relevant parts include:

The $131-million pricetag for the legacy projects is just one issue threatening to conspire against council. There is a road network pock-marked with the worst pothole outbreak in memory, ever-rising taxes and water rates - and the credibility hit from a concert ticket fiasco, to name a few.

All of which suggests taxpayers such as Jim Robinson won't be easily convinced to reconsider their opposition to the legacy projects.

Robinson recently told The Star he will "be watching with great interest as the feasibility studies are done for the performing arts and recreation centres." He was referring to council's decision to spend $250,000 on consultants to investigate the feasibility of each legacy project.

Like many city residents, Robinson is concerned the legacy projects will be built at the expense of hard services, namely road improvements.

"Based on the marginal visible roads improvement in 2007, despite record spending, I don't believe that the city can fix the roads even without these projects," he told The Star.

"So let's make sure we don't try to live beyond our means. My vote was cast in the last election based on basic infrastructure deficiencies and road rehabilitation and I expect it will be again the next time we go to the polls.

"What good are state-of-the-art legacy projects if the roads and sewers have fallen apart?"

I wonder what possessed Denis to keep this particular letter on file? Sandy and I were talking last week about the need for a citizen's committee to encourage council and staff to focus on the key infrastructure renewal. Maybe it's time.............

Re: City in a deep hole - March 22, 2008

To the editor of the Sudbury Star,
(Published March 28, 2008)

I note that Robert Falcioni says he recommended $40 million in the City capital budget for road renewal, but Mayor John Rodriquez says that the City can only afford $30 million. I also observed the start of a major project to straighten and widen a stretch of MR80 in McCrea Heights that can't affect more than a couple of kilometers. How many million dollars of that limited capital budget are allocated to this substantial upgrade that benefits so little of our deteriorating roadway?

Streets are disintegrating before our very eyes. Let's focus on resurfacing as much of the substandard surface as we can and not continue to blow the budget on a few major upgrades of limited scope.