Corneau and White Respond to Issues

By Miriam King Bradford Times October 22 2010
Corneau responds to land ownership issue
Mayoral Candidate Jim Corneau was asked about potential future conflicts: He owns property that abuts Hwy. 400.
Corneau pointed out that in the past, when he was a Bradford West Gwillimbury Councillor, he declared a conflict and did not vote, on issues relating to Hwy. 400 – something, he said, that he would continue to do if elected.
Corneau termed the land issue “minor” – not only is it a small piece of property, he said, his current objection to the Town’s new Comprehensive Zoning By-law, which has removed the “Industrial” zoning, is an issue that should be dealt with at the pre-hearing stage, avoiding the need for a full hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board.
White Responds to Tag Team Criticism
There have been some angry letters and comments posted regarding recent phone messages from Mayoral Candidate Doug White, urging residents to vote for him – and also for Dennis Roughley, for Deputy Mayor.
Asked about the “team” approach, White notes that he endorsed Roughley’s candidacy early in the campaign – “the moment (Deputy Mayoral Candidate) Mr. Keffer began to referring to this as the “White-Roughley Administration”.”
White identified a “deep divide” between the views and policies that he and Roughley both support, and those of Mayoral candidate Jim Corneau and Rob Keffer.
“For me, the most important task of the next 4 years, if I’m re-elected, is to get jobs on the 400… You have a candidate for Deputy Mayor (Keffer) with the polar opposite view. He doesn’t want jobs on the 400, and took us to the (Ontario Municipal) Board,” White said. “This is the future of the Town that is at stake.”
White spoke of the burden on the taxpayer, and the gap in assessment between Industrial/Commercial, and Residential. “There is only one way to close that gap, and that’s finding other sources of revenue, other than the residential taxpayer.”
As for the “tag team” comments, he says, “When asked, I’ve been truthful. It’s been night and day here on the ballot… It’s two candidates saying that we can work together.”
White is critical of the negativity that has marked this campaign. “The last election, there were three people running for mayor, there were three people running for deputy mayor, and there was none of this.”