Just Some Thoughts

Here are some interesting stories that I believe are important to write about and their issues which are just as interesting to read about as far as I'm concerned. It's pretty obvious to me that I should be posting them to remind you of some of these matters that I find so important. I have provided some of my comments as well that I have made with respect to the stories so that you will understand at least why I am posting them. So here all of this is. 

THE COUNTY LIBRARIES 

Such a disappointment again. I just don't understand what is going on. It is certainly a huge negative for the employees: 

"Library Strike Continues 

By Maureen Revait BlackburnNews August 8, 2016 

Negotiations on Day 45 of the Essex County library strike have failed. 

The 58 CUPE Local 2974 employees remain on the picket line over the issue of a new sick time policy. 

CUPE Local 2974 sub unit chair Lori Wightman says the union came forward with a new proposal but management refused to move on the issue. 

“We returned to the bargaining table with a new sick time proposal so we could start a dialogue to end this strike,” said Wightman. “Instead, management showed no movement and stuck to their original sick time position from June 22."  

In my opinion, the issues that are being dealt with in this strike really have little to do with the employees of the Libraries in the County. Rather, in my view, the fight is between Management and the Library Unions across the Province.  It just so happens that our local Union is being used as the precedent for other decisions involving Library Unions in different parts of the Province. And perhaps, more importantly, for other Government unions as well. 

Just in case one might think that there will be a resolution quickly in this matter because workers have been on strike for so long, think again:  

"There are no future negotiations scheduled." 

Moreover, I saw this comment in another article:  

"[Richard Meloche — chairman of the Essex County Library Board and deputy mayor of Essex]  acknowledged the negotiations could potentially affect future contract talks for other county workers."  (Julie Kotsis, Windsor Star, August 11, 2016)

WINDSOR POVERTY 

Oh my. When I read this introduction to the following article, I was quite shocked. What will the Government of Windsor really do: 

"Windsor’s final 2016 property tax bills were mailed out last week with what will likely be the last tax freeze the city’s citizens will see for a while.  

After eight years of tax freezes (so long as your property wasn’t re-assessed, upwards) the political forces desperate for a return to government growth are piling up the excuses to lay a really fat increase on you next year. 

The latest one: poverty. Apparently, some concerned citizens were shocked recently to discover that some Windsor neighbourhoods experience greater levels of poverty than others. Well, they’ve decided, this has to be fixed.  

So expect a big push this fall for a new “war on poverty” or “battle to take back the neighbourhoods” or some such gimcrackery that involves dipping deeper into your wallet.  

Some younger voters may be impressed by this big push for a new and improved form of social justice. But tax-scarred older voters have heard it all before. It’s really just political cover for justifying a return to property tax increases and the hiring of more special helpers."  (Chris Vander Doelen, Windsor Star, July 3, 2016)

The Star writer at the end of his article stated:  

"And I reiterate: every year, Windsor spends one dollar out of every three it spends, on poverty alone. A third of the budget is spent on a group which is much smaller than one-third of the population.  

Yes, that part of the population needs the help. But to suggest not enough is being done for them is the cynical politics of people trying to pad an already generous budget envelope."  

It shall be very interesting to see whether in fact taxes are increased in Windsor and, if so, what the justification for doing so is. It will also be interesting to see if the City's political leaders will say that a tax increase is not necessary and everything will be managed effectively to ensure that this happens including cutting certain programs in the City or hiring outsiders to do City work at a lower salary than City employees.  

AN INTERESTING BORDER STORY 

Here is something that I read by a gentleman who used to work at the Washington Post for over 25 years as his biography in his story claimed:  

"New $2.1 Billion Detroit-Ontario Bridge Project Hits Big Snags 

(Eric Pianin, The Fiscal Times, July 5, 2016)

In March 2015, the U.S. and Canadian governments reached an agreement to build a new $2.1 billion bridge connecting Detroit and Ontario designed to eliminate a massive bottleneck that for decades has put a crimp in the flow of commerce between the two countries.  

The goal was to replace the 86-year-old Ambassador Bridge, a deteriorating, two-mile long relic of a bygone era in serious need of renovation.  

Despite the initial optimism of Canadian and U.S. officials nearly 16 months ago, the project has become bogged down in complicated and time-consuming legal challenges. And Canadian and U.S. officials’ hopes of completing construction of a replacement bridge by 2020 now seem highly unrealistic."  

I must admit that I read the story back then and it really wasn't all that significant to me. There was not a lot of new news in it as far as I was concerned but then again, I am reasonably familiar with what has happened for so long.  

Then wow, guess what happened next. Here is what was written in the Windsor Star telling people in general what is happening: 

"A 2020 completion date for the Gordie Howe International Bridge is looking increasingly doubtful as challenges persist in getting the multibillion-dollar crossing between Windsor and Detroit to the next stage. 

The biggest hurdle? About 30 properties needed for the new crossing on the U.S. side  — 20 of them belonging to Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel “Matty” Moroun —  but considered “problematic” to acquire, according to Dwight Duncan, interim chairman of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. 

“I won’t be held to a date,” he told the Star on Friday, the first time he has addressed the delay." (Doug Schmidt, Windsor Star, July 16, 2016)

I just find this story and a lot of others that I have read recently to be quite interesting. Should people in this region expect that there might be a decision announced that there is now a deal finalized between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the Governments on both sides of the river?  

After all, these news stories are softening up all us a little bit for some reason aren't they!