Matt Todd's Pursuit of Idyll Minds

The mailing sent by Council Candidate Coleridge this week, titled White Rock Election News, contained quite a lot of inflammatory charges and half-truths twisted into new meaning.

I don’t see how this kind of behaviour promotes or supports the kind of community all candidates have said they want for White Rock — one that is friendly and proud. This kind of deceptive campaigning only promotes fear and supports anger. How do you think that effects relationships within the community?

Please note that one “fact” presented by Coleridge is correct only by ignoring other related and important facts. He states that Bosa was permitted “2 additional floors with no additional amenities provided to the City.” The rest of the story is that the additional two floors resulted in a higher purchase price for the City property and higher DCC fees collected. The only reason a larger amenity contribution under the Density Bonus Policy was not received is because the value of what they had already included in their project still far exceeded the amount required — they gave more than they had to, even with the additional two floors.

Is James Coleridge lying?
It looks like he is. There is no evidence to back up his claims that he did not send the “Baker” emails and is a victim of identity theft.

Three weeks ago, an email full of lies about a number of candidates was sent to a lot of people by “Alison and Tom Baker”.

It seemed suspicious. The language used sounded just like James Coleridge and the text contained mangled interpretations of facts – facts that would be hard for most people to compile just because it would take sifting through lots and lots of tedious reports… unless provided by a councillor.

I don’t know very much about computers, but I know enough to ask the right questions. I searched on the Internet to find out how to track down where an email message came from. I followed the instructions and it appeared as though the message from “Alison and Tom Baker” actually came from James Coleridge’s computer. Read on »

Three incumbents should be embarrassed by their terrible attendance record. The Councillors occupying Council chairs the longest (21 years for Coleridge, 15 for McLean) attended the fewest meetings. Now that they’re criticizing Council decisions, the question has to be asked, did they actually attend the meetings when the information was provided and decisions made?

It should be no wonder that Mayoral Candidate Ferguson and Councillor Coleridge aren’t aware of some key information. Were they there when it was presented and discussed? Looking at their attendance record, it’s clear, chances are they weren’t.

Some candidates have anchored their campaigns on statements about “common sense” and how hard they work. I’ve written several times about why I think “common sense” is an intellectual cop out. But let’s look at this claim of hard work by Ferguson. Read on »

Contrary to recent comments by some candidates, the Bosa Properties second mortgage has been public knowledge for years.

The Purchase and Sale Agreement describes the payments required by Bosa Properties. The City used a second mortgage as an added layer of protection for taxpayers.

This was certainly no secret. In fact, Jean Kromm, a director for both the White Rock Ratepayers Association and Citizens for Positive Renewal, had this to say in her 2005 Annual Report to the WRRA:
Read on »

In a Peace Arch News article posted today, Councillor Coleridge, who has sat in a White Rock City Council chair for over 20 years now, says this of Mayoral Candidate Peddemors:

I find it very peculiar that, in the middle of a campaign, we would release one document because one candidate has asked for it. He should have asked for it to be made public sometime in the past four years, not during an election.

So, help me figure this out:

• Coleridge is concerned that people have been asking for this information;
• Coleridge says Council should have released the document sooner;
• Coleridge has been on Council for the last 3 years;
• … why hasn’t Coleridge requested that the document be released?

Why is Coleridge criticizing Peddemors for not making the request sooner, when he’s had 3 years to do it himself, but didn’t?

The email message copied below is typical of the Coleridge MO I’ve observed over the past 3 years.

He says he doesn’t support staff digging out records of the Town Centre land sale negotiations to make them public during an election. Is it because people knowing the truth will undermine his campaign? Will it weaken his criticisms when people see that the City made a lot more money by opting for a payment plan? Is it that citizens might agree that a payment plan was a good idea since the deal netted the City more than our top-shelf appraiser said should be expected?

You wouldn’t know this because you don’t attend our closed-door sessions, however, Coleridge lied at the all-candidate’s meeting last night. Read on »

Should there be term limits for city councillors?

Personally, I don’t think so. However, sitting in a councillor’s chair should not be a life-long occupation.

We have candidates who are already in their 3rd decade of sitting on council and halfway through their 2nd decade. Ironically, they are the ones on the slate with “renewal” in its name and calling for change on council.

I agree that room should be made for new voices and perspectives on city council. The question is, who should be removed in order to create that space? Logic would suggest, those who’ve been there longest should be considered for the trapdoor-in-the-floor first.

Whose time is up? It’s up to voters to decide.

If you think term limits might be a good idea, don’t vote for the candidate who’s already been in a council chair for over 20 years: Coleridge.

Coleridge is at it again. The Friday Oct 24 edition of the Peace Arch News quotes him saying things that are simply not true.

The truth is, the deal between the City and BOSA Properties has been public information and posted on the City’s website for years. It’s no secret that the City used a second mortgage contract as the legal tool to secure the final payment for the land purchase.

This was the subject of debate during the last election. Either Coleridge has forgotten or he’s hoping you have.

It really is a pointless argument anyway because the City will receive its money in a couple months, right on time.