... I'll see if i can find the quote i'm remembering but he quite literally said he was opposed to Crystal Pool because he wouldn't use it/get value from it.. He understands - he just doesn't care.

I'd level the same criticism at Kim if she voted with the same motivation.

How hard would it be to avoid setting goals like this in the future with the way budgeting is generally done? it seems.. hilariously unrealistic while maintaining service levels..

Feels like way for busy bodies to force heritage designation on housing/areas that have either been resisting it or aren't currently able to be listed.. Though i guess it depends on what the 'heritage area' designation does.

The 4% thing was unfortunate because it just plays into certain conversations/ideologies better than others - Be better to have some metric re: “target this current level of service+” Hard to quantify and very “unsexy” but doesn’t open the door for “0% increase” conversations.

Its funny because the Police budgeting system either needs to get more transparent or be a total closed book - instead of this kinda false choice system we have now - Maybe it was just the way Manak was handling if that made it a problem.

Most of my trepidation and concern was the artificial line in the sand that was single digit increases. We can afford and have nice things.. and as always, i really dislike the ever increasing police spend (but most of my problem is how that system works)

Yeah honestly just a completely sad farce..

My running theory is they either lost or never bothered to get live stock insurance.. I’m sure “creating a flock of avian flu super spreaders” violates most insurance policy agreements..

Staff says SIPP is watching and was synchronously in contact. Victoria's contribution is 22% of their operations apparently. Our share of the municipal contribution is 35.2%, Saanich is 28.88%; 11 member municipalities and a number of First Nations participants.

Oh fucking YES. Youth bus pass program passed to return to the budget unanimously.

Follow along on the livestream, if you're morbidly curious in how the sausage is made.

pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/VideoStream....

Yeah but Municipal budgets are just like household budgets Jeremy. There is literally no difference. 👀

@davethompsonvic.bsky.social 100% did - and when it originally came up i wrote a super snarky email about it.. but here we are (cuz i'm all important grr.)

3. The brilliance of the VicPD budget proposal is how their language parallels Council's own strategic plan and its endorsed Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan. Do with that information what you will; it's all public.

I'm pretty hopeful overall (Manak would never had admitted that we have 2 officers assigned for traffic in the vic/esquimalt region..)