Mayoral candidates move lips. Words come out

ABRIDGED NEWS RELEASES

JAMIE CAICCO JULIE HRYNIEWICZ RON SCHINNERS

************************* Caicco’s idea: an integrated approach to dealing with the root cause of crime

“A safe community is a key aspect of a strong, vibrant community,” says mayoral candidate James Caicco.

One of Caicco’s key goals if elected mayor is the creation of a crime advisory committee.

Councillor Caicco recognizes that many of the crimes committed in our community are the result of social and economical issues that have to be addressed at the grass roots level.

The police play an important role in keeping our community safe by arresting those who commit criminal offences but are limited in their efforts to prevent further incidents of crime without special programs that deal with the root cause of anti-social behaviour.

By establishing a crime advisory committee our community would have the ability to draw upon individuals and agencies who understand the social issues that impact crime and provide recommendations to council on strategies that will make our community a safer and healthier place to live.

Councillor Caicco and council are concerned about vandalism, youth crime, graffiti, thefts from parked vehicles, drug related break-ins and robberies and most recently prostitution-related offences in our downtown area.

Police enforcement is only one component in addressing these issues and Councillor Caicco realizes that by bringing all the stakeholders together in the form of a Crime Advisory Council, we will be able to address the causes of crime thereby reducing the incidence of crime.

Many other communities have similar committees that report to and assist Council in programs and strategies for a safer community.

Sault Ste. Marie will benefit with the formation of a Crime Advisory Committee that will have access to government grants for the purpose of identifying and addressing strategies that deal with crime prevention.

“This committee will be an excellent tool for Council to deal with the root cause of crime within the community and work towards long-term solutions. I envision this Committee to be one of the most effective and valuable committees that work with council,” says Caicco.

************************* 'Walk the talk with Julie' If you are looking to get outside and active during the dynamic fall colour season, you can join mayoral candidate, Julie Hryniewicz, every Tuesday and Sunday from 2-3 p.m., between now and the municipal election on Monday, October 25, exploring the outdoor trails of Sault Ste. Marie. "Walk with Us" is Community Project #4 of Julie's non-traditional municipal election campaign for mayor, and has been designed to engage citizens and empower healthy neighbourhoods, involving 12 scheduled community walks, over six weeks, with six meeting locations, and exploring various sections of the developed and developing Hub Trail and walking routes. Fort Creek Conservation Area on Second Line (near Carmen's Way) is the first meeting place for Week 1 of the walks.

The public is invited to meet Julie at 1:50 p.m., on Tuesday, September 14 and Sunday, September 19, at the Fort Creek Conservation Area parking lot, with your own water in hand and sturdy walking or hiking shoes on foot.

The walks will be one hour in length, starting at 2 p.m., returning to the parking lot by 3 p.m.

Walkers are encouraged to bring a friend or family member as well. Week 2 of the walks will start at the Roberta Bondar Waterfront Boardwalk entrance on Tuesday, September 21 and Sunday, September 26, meeting at 1:50 p.m. and walking from 2-3 p.m.

Chilifest is also going on September 26 at the Roberta Bondar Tent from noon-4 p.m.

As well, so you can visit Chilifest and walk off the chili, or walk and then eat.

"I will be wearing a bright royal blue jacket with white 'Your Voice Matters' lettering on my back, and will likely be the one with chili on my face!"Julie says. If the weather does not cooperate with the walks, the group will still meet as scheduled and decide on an alternative indoor walking spot or coffee shop location.

************************* Caicco can’t escape his tax-and-spend record

Mayoral candidate James Caicco has said that he’s going to do his best to make sure seniors get to ride public transit for free.

He said it is just one part of a plan to help seniors living on a fixed income, especially those living in their own homes.

Funny how career politicians seem to care about seniors just before an election!

Here is James Caicco’s real voting record on how he affected seniors in the last 10 years:

- Continuous tax increases including seniors and the unemployed. Caicco voted to raise taxes nine of last 10 years, raising them 2.95 percent in 2009, 1.73 percent in 2008, 2.83 percent in 2007, 2.42 percent in 2006, 2.98 percent in 2005, 2.72 percent in 2004, 0 percent in 2002 and 3.59 percent in 2001. The total combined tax hikes since 2001 is a whopping 19.22 percent!

- Sixty-one employees of the City of Sault Ste. Marie made salaries of more than $100,000 in 2008, compared to 18 in 2007 and 16 in 2006. Councillor Caicco was quick to approve budgets that increased taxes on people including seniors and the disabled. By doing this, he helped balloon the Sunshine Club by 381 percent in just two years. In the 2009 budget, councillor Caicco approved the biggest salary increase to the CAO in history. He helped take money from seniors who pay taxes to give more money to those making over $100,000 a year!

- In the 2005 budget, Caicco voted to reduce increased snow removal from $500,000 to $124,650, an almost 75 percent reduction. He then gave $236,665 to the Innovation Centre, almost double what was given for increased snow removal budget. The Innovation Centre has received over $6 million in taxpayer dollars since 1999. This is money that should have gone for real core services, such as increasing snow removal and road repair. How does this help seniors?

- Voted to give Searchmont $350,000 even though it isn’t even in Sault Ste. Marie. This might have helped seniors that might go skiing, or ones that don’t live in Sault Ste. Marie, but how does this help most seniors that actually live and pay taxes here?

- Voted against the seniors health advisory committee, representing 19,000 seniors seeking relief from snow and ice in their driveways

- In the 2005 budget, Caicco voted to take $1.14 million from the sale of the F.J. Davey Home to a special fund. Where has this money gone and how has it benefited seniors.

James Caicco can’t escape his voting record.

While it’s nice to see he would like to give seniors a free bus ride, his voting record speaks for itself.

James Caicco says he has too much respect for the office of mayor to have entered before he had enough experience. His experience is the problem.

He has lots of experience raising taxes and spending money irresponsibly, things that have hurt seniors.

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