Elections
Paul Tetley, Candidate for Ward 3 in Hamilton Municipal Election 2010
Details page for this candidate.
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Candidate Details (top)
| Name | Tetley, Paul |
|---|---|
| Election | Hamilton Municipal Election 2010 |
| Area | Ward 03 |
| Party | N/A |
| Votes | 1720 |
| paul@paultetley.com | |
| Website | http://www.paultetley.com |
| Home | 289-700-3610 |
| Business | 905-481-1585 |
| Fax | |
| Bio | Paul, and his wife Deborah, are homeowners on Fairholt Road South in the centre of Ward 3.
Paul has worked technology industry for over 15 years, and is currently employed as an Executive Account Manager with a leading Canadian software firm specializing in Health & Safety, Quality and Environmental software solutions. He is responsible for negotiating, planning, implementing and managing complex multi-year solutions for customers throughout North America and Mexico. As a resident of Ward 3, Paul has been active in his neighbourhood volunteering his time and holding Board and Executive positions with the South Stipeley Neighbourhood Association. He has also worked tirelessly for the neighbourhood, dealing with numerous city departments including; Bylaw Enforcement, Waste Management, Recreation and more. With a focus on successfully taking on the tough issues, Paul is known for his clear and strong vision along with decisive decision making skills. |
Responses to Questions (top)
| Question | Brief Response | Full Response |
|---|---|---|
| Some cities have committed recently to publishing their public data in an open format that citizens can directly access. Should Hamilton pledge to become an "open source city"? Why or why not? | Yes | Yes, I support open data for the City of Hamilton.
Providing open data will also allow software developers to create applications that serve and benefit the needs of the city, and residents. Opening the datastore will release large of amounts of the information generated by the city, which can then be presented in a searchable and usable format. The release of this information will benefit residents, city staff and council. The share of open data increases transparency, and accountability within The City of Hamilton, and has the potential to stimulate Hamilton's software development industry through application development. Hamilton needs to take a leadership role in 21st Century industries and that includes the management of data. |
| The City of Hamilton has committed to doubling transit ridership by 2020. Do you support this goal? If so, how would you realize it? | Yes | In principle I support this goal, but based on recent results I do not believe doubling ridership from today's level is possible by 2020. From 2005 to 2009, conventional transit ridership passenger trips on the HSR decreased by 1.2%. Our first goal should be reversing that four-year declining trend.
Increasing ridership needs to be addressed by bringing jobs back to Hamilton. A healthy local economy drives increased ridership. Jobs in our urban core and historic industrial areas, coupled with the increasing importance of the McMaster Innovation Park will drive ridership gains at a far greater rate than Greenfield, low density, and car centric development. There is also a need to address timetables to ensure efficient transfer points. This is required for transferring HSR to HSR and for connections with GO Transit. Efficient transfer points will create a transit system which is more appealing to people who currently use other means of transportation. Finally, affordability of our Public Transit system is required to drive ridership gains. Hamilton needs to ensure that transit is affordable to all residents, no matter their income level. The above will ensure transit ridership increases as we move forward in the 21st Century. |
| Is Hamilton doing enough to support and encourage new investment in our older neighbourhoods? If not, what should the City be doing? | No | Hamilton is not doing enough to attract new business, or to support and encourage existing business in our older neighbourhoods. This is clearly evidenced by the recent news that Ward 3's The Pearl Company is preparing to close after 5 years of unsuccessfully dealing with the city's red tape.
Implementing a Community Improvement Plan is one of the cornerstones of my campaign. It will allow for owners of industrial heritage buildings to plan and finance for tenancy, adaptive re-use, and the restoration of lands and buildings, along with the infrastructure supporting them. We will also establish an Industrial Heritage Building Association, consisting of property owners who will work together to share successes, advise on incentive programs, work to attract business, and co-market their facilities. And we will put in place a plan to proactively encourage businesses to establish and customers to return to our commercial streets, while keeping them clean of garbage, and eliminating the illegal social clubs, as well as other illegal storefront uses. |
| Should we spend the Future Fund to build a Pan Am / Ticat stadium on the CP Rail Yard lands? Why or why not? | No | Future Fund Money should not be used to build a PanAm/Ticat stadium on the CP Rail Yard lands.
The Future Fund was established from the 2002 sale of Hamilton Hydro. Its mission states; "To preserve and manage a permanent, self-sustaining fund as a lasting legacy for current and future generations of Hamiltonians to enjoy economic prosperity, enhanced social fabric and enhanced community life." Current Council has already motioned for the $60 million to be a grant, instead of a loan as recommend by the Future Fund Board of Governors, for what has become a stadium for the benefit of a private interest, Bob Young. This is in direct contravention of the fund's mission, and its Board of Governors recommendation. This contravention will result in a significant depletion of the fund while we, our children, and potentially our grandchildren continue to pay for the initial principal through increasing Hydro Debt Retirement Charges. The residents of Hamilton deserve better than following in the footsteps of Montreal's Olympic Stadium and Toronto's SkyDome, which consumed hundreds of millions of taxpayer's dollars. |
| Do you believe that poverty is the most critical issue facing Hamilton today? If so, please outline your solutions. If not, please explain your reasons. | Yes | While I believe poverty is an issue, I do not believe it to be the most critical. Addressing poverty is simply addressing the symptom and not the root cause. We've seen in the past that pouring money into treating the symptom has failed in preventing and alleviating poverty. All that has been accomplished is the creation of a "Poverty Industry" in Hamilton.
The most critical issue facing Hamilton today is the root causes of poverty. We need to focus greater resources on the root causes, which include a lack of jobs, lower education rates, and the general lack of opportunity. We need to develop programs that create opportunities, employment and work with our youth to achieve higher levels of education so they can excel in today's economy. My platform includes a Community Improvement Plan, which is designed by the Province to allow municipalities to develop programs that address many of the root causes of poverty found in Ward 3, and the City of Hamilton. |
| Hamilton's Cycling Master Plan has Council approval. However, the implementation timeline is very long and ward councillors can block individual bike lane projects. Do you support accelerating the completion of a continuous bicycle network and other initiatives like a bike sharing program and better access up and down the Escarpment? Why or why not? | Yes | Yes, I support the completion of a continuous bike network. I feel it's important for a healthy city to provide various safe transportation options. Hamilton should be actively working towards connecting existing bike lanes and recreational trails to provide a cohesive bike network that can be used by both commuter and recreational cyclists.
In a June 2009, I wrote this letter to The Hamilton Spectator: http://www.thespec.com/opinion/letters/article/75450--cycling-plan-needs-clear-vision-and-funding Also, I have personally identified a lack of proper bike racks and secure bike locking facilities, and will support their placement throughout the city. |
| For your campaign, will you be accepting donations from corporations or unions? If so, why? If not, why not? | No | I'm not accepting corporate, or union donations. I believe the role of the councillor is to represent the interests of the residents of Ward 3 and the City of Hamilton. |
| Council is poised to vote on the Airport Employment Growth District, a 3,000 acre plan to expand the urban boundary around Hamilton International Airport for employment lands. Do you support this plan? Why or why not? | No | No, I do not support the plan for the Airport Employment Growth District (AEGD), formerly known as the Aerotropolis. The plans for the AEGD include too many unknowns including; the amount and type of employment opportunities; the level of demand for serviced land; infrastructure costs and more.
The City of Hamilton should be focused on attracting businesses to existing serviced industrial areas, both green field and historic. Demand and development for those areas must happen before 3,000+ acres of land, requiring expensive servicing, is approved. The burden of developing the AEGD should not be borne by the residential taxpayers of Hamilton. |
| Will your term change people's first impression of Hamilton, and make that first impression more attractive to visitors, students, commuters and newcomers? If so, how? | Yes | We will use a multi-pronged approach to change people's first impression of Hamilton. That starts with improved marketing of Hamilton's assets, both cultural and physical, not only to people new to Hamilton, but to long time Hamilton residents, and outsiders as well.
We need to incorporate Tourism Hamilton into plans to create, manage and maintain a Hamilton Guide for Newcomers (and Visitors), Facebook Page, Twitter Account and an expanded website that will be used to market the many great things that exist in all parts of Hamilton. This promotion and marketing will target new and long time residents, as well as people visiting, or considering visiting, Hamilton. We also need to actively engage the students of Mohawk and McMaster to increase the appeal of Hamilton and increase the post graduation retention rates. |
| Many observers argue that Council meetings could be more respectful and professional. Do you agree? If so, what will you do to change this? | Yes | I come from a background in my professional career where colleagues are treated with respect. That respect is extended to all in attendance even when there is a difference of opinion.
I will bring that professional experience to council, and treat my colleagues, and any differences of opinion, with respect. A key part of my past experience is being able to understand the reason why differences of opinion exist, and identifying what can be done to narrow or eliminate the gaps, thus reducing the chances for discourse. |
| Do you support Hamilton's LRT proposal? If so, what will you do to ensure Hamilton's success in building LRT? If not, why do you oppose it? | Yes | As a supporter of public transit, I support development of the LRT.
As Councillor, it will be my goal to ensure the plan for the LRT is based on providing efficient and affordable public transportation which is properly funded by Metrolinx, and it benefits the entire City of Hamilton. |
