Juanita Maldonado, Candidate for Ward 5 in Hamilton Municipal Election 2018 - Raise the Hammer Elections

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Candidate Details
Responses to Questions

Candidate Details (top)

Name	Maldonado, Juanita
Election	Hamilton Municipal Election 2018
Area	Ward 05
Party	N/A
Votes	0
Email	newwardfive@gmail.com
Website	(no website listed)
Home	289-440-1623
Business
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Responses to Questions (top)

Question	Brief Response	Full Response
Hamilton has been experiencing a slow-motion crisis in housing affordability. Do you support an expanded role for the City to provide more affordable housing? If so, what should Hamilton do? If not, why not?	Yes	Housing is not affordable because the City Council has not made it a priority. In the closed-door meetings where City Council decides which developers/contractors get the $$$deals, if the affordable housing component is not satisfactory, who is to blame?
Council has voted dozens of times since 2008 to advance Hamilton's light rail transit (LRT) project, including voting to submit the plan with a full funding request to the Province in 2013, and voting to accept full funding and implementation from the Province in 2015. Do you support completing the LRT plan? Why or why not?	No	I support fully funding the transit system. I do not see the benefit of rails in the ground. There are so many other innovative, energy efficient progressive ways to move people across the City – on the hill and down below.
Do you support improved public transit in Hamilton? If so, what changes do you propose? If not, why not?	Yes	Full funding and complete support from Council is required to move our transit system from a social service to a world-class system complete with commercial and retail partners. This support will result in more investment and further economic development so young people do not have to move away to get a job that pays the mortgage or allows them to pay back their Canada Student Loan.
Bonus question: If LRT goes ahead, what will you do to ensure Hamilton receives the maximum benefit?	Yes	Let’s get to work.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act mandates that cities must be completely accessible by 2025. What changes would you make to ensure Hamilton complies with this mandate?	Yes	Supporting the Advisory Committee for Peoples with Disabilities, and their efforts like providing closed-captioning for their events is a strong step toward achieving this goal. Hearing the voices of peoples with Disabilities in our Ward when they raise their concerns and efficiently and quickly responding to their requests is a step toward this mandate.
Since the 1950s, most new residential and commercial development in Hamilton has been single-use suburban sprawl. Do you believe Hamilton needs to concentrate new development within the already-built area? Why or why not?	Yes	My focus is to preserve the natural, and historic value of our distinct communities. It is important to raise awareness and promote conversation with residents that jobs will grow out of small business promotion, and the construction industry in our City, and that “building up” is a natural move forward. As jobs are created, workers spend their money in our local community and everybody wins. This can be done effectively by encouraging civic engagement and addressing concerns BEFORE deals are signed.
Hamilton has a legacy of multi-lane, one-way arterial streets dating back to the 1950s. Do you support accelerating the conversion of these streets to two-way? Why or why not?	Maybe	No comment at this time.
Global warming is an existential challenge facing humanity. Do you think Hamilton should play a role in addressing climate change? If so, what should the city be doing? If not, why not?	Yes	Yes.
Do you support phasing out area rating for transit? Why or why not?	Yes	Once a City Councillor is elected, they should not be assigned to a Ward. This will ensure that we can work together to do what’s best for the City overall. This would eliminate the territorialism and vote-trading that occurs. Area rating would not be an issue.
Should Hamilton be trying to attract more young people to live, work and start businesses here, including the 60,000 students studying at Mohawk College, McMaster University and Redeemer University? If so, what should we be doing? If not, why not?	Yes	YES to young people living here. YES to young people working here. YES to young people starting small business here. Hamilton has gained acclaim because of its transportation corridor; i.e. access by land, water, air and rail. As Hamilton moves forward to fully fund a healthy transit plan, young people, and students building a future, are a critical part of its success.
Do you support the "Vision Zero" goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Hamilton? If so, what specific actions would you take to implement this policy? If not, why not?	Yes	Our community is strengthened by a collaborative bond between law enforcement, municipal government and its residents. We have had several tragic fatalities in Ward 5 along Queenston Road as a result of speed-racing. Separating pedestrian and cycling traffic from drivers is a suggested way to reduce or even eliminate injuries and fatalities.