Dec. 16 and it snowed in Edmonton. Who woulda thunk it?
Apparently, not the masters of mismanagement in our city’s administration. Not only did we experience the thrill of getting stuck on our own residential streets, we also got to slip, slide and slither through the downtown.
Though our downtown wasn’t being plowed, apparently, the denizens of the department of feeble excuses were working overtime. According to them, they put the call out for contractors to clear the streets and many of them didn’t show up as requested.
There was a time when we employed people to keep our streets clear of snow. But that approach was scrapped as a cost-saving measure. I guess that’s why our taxes have gone down and down over the years.
I hate to say it, but the great majority of the attitudes of Edmontonians toward their city have nothing to do with our patently pathetic efforts to “put ourselves on the map.” They do not get all warm and toasty because we have a great art gallery. And they don’t experience paroxysms of pleasure because we want to close the City Centre Airport and put housing there.
Cleaning the streets, fixing sidewalks and paving roads are the barometer by which the majority of Edmontonians measure the effectiveness of the city administration. I would think that most Edmontonians gave our civic administration an F for its efforts last week.
We have millions of dollars to put into such things as Expo bids and the Indy, but there never seems to be enough money to keep our streets clear of snow. Here’s a thought. Since our city likes to levy charges for drainage and garbage removal, how about we levy a charge for snow removal from our roads and sidewalks.
I would be more than happy to pay an extra $20 or $30 per year to ensure I wasn’t going to experience a riot of ruts on my street and I could stop worrying about shovelling my sidewalk. However, I would only support that approach if those funds were enveloped and not put into general revenues. Money for snow removal would have to be used for snow removal, period.
On another note. I disagree with Dandy Don Iveson when it comes to tweeting. I’m more than happy that Kerry Diotte is willing to keep Edmontonians up-to-date on what the city is doing or not doing, as the case may be.
