Jim Mayer 🇨🇦
@pentastich.bsky.social
Urbanism, utility cycling, rowing, food, vintage cocktails, and city living. Victoria, BC, Canada. He/him.
Blog: https://www.boomin-in-victoria.ca
Mastodon (rarely) https://urbanists.social/@pentastich
Formerly @pentastich on Birdland
Blog: https://www.boomin-in-victoria.ca
Mastodon (rarely) https://urbanists.social/@pentastich
Formerly @pentastich on Birdland
(Looking back, I meant to reply to the previous post about costs in different provinces. I see where the confusion came from!)
November 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
(Looking back, I meant to reply to the previous post about costs in different provinces. I see where the confusion came from!)
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I wasn't talking about ownership, I was talking about how the money is collected. Government mandated user fees on something that has become a near necessity are like putting a sales tax on grocery staples.
November 11, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I wasn't talking about ownership, I was talking about how the money is collected. Government mandated user fees on something that has become a near necessity are like putting a sales tax on grocery staples.
In the end, it's paid for by "taxpayers" (i.e., everyone). The only question is who and how much. Personally, I'd prefer to see it funded through a progressive income tax. Cell phones haven't been "luxury" items for decades.
November 11, 2025 at 7:53 PM
In the end, it's paid for by "taxpayers" (i.e., everyone). The only question is who and how much. Personally, I'd prefer to see it funded through a progressive income tax. Cell phones haven't been "luxury" items for decades.
Yes, I remember. It was a big concern of mine even though I ended up voting "yes". I talked to several councillors about it then, and decided it was worth the risk. Some trimming is fine and important, and I'm pleased that multiple councillors pushed back on the "all or nothing" narrative yesterday.
November 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Yes, I remember. It was a big concern of mine even though I ended up voting "yes". I talked to several councillors about it then, and decided it was worth the risk. Some trimming is fine and important, and I'm pleased that multiple councillors pushed back on the "all or nothing" narrative yesterday.
It shouldn't be, but the draft financial plan, the list of potential things to cut, and the 4% cap (even though it's listed as a "starting point"), make it look that way.
November 8, 2025 at 10:13 AM
It shouldn't be, but the draft financial plan, the list of potential things to cut, and the 4% cap (even though it's listed as a "starting point"), make it look that way.
I agree with you AND I will remain nervous until the budget is finalized.
November 8, 2025 at 3:12 AM
I agree with you AND I will remain nervous until the budget is finalized.
In other words, I don't think you and I disagree, but Council seems to have voted at some point to make compensatory cuts—or at least some councillors think they did!
November 8, 2025 at 2:56 AM
In other words, I don't think you and I disagree, but Council seems to have voted at some point to make compensatory cuts—or at least some councillors think they did!
I was, and am, happy to pay MORE taxes to support the pool—even though I've never used the current one. The operative word is MORE. You've made it clear that you want both, but I keep hearing about the city "needing" to cut programs to compensate for the pool debt. That's not what I voted for.
November 8, 2025 at 2:53 AM
I was, and am, happy to pay MORE taxes to support the pool—even though I've never used the current one. The operative word is MORE. You've made it clear that you want both, but I keep hearing about the city "needing" to cut programs to compensate for the pool debt. That's not what I voted for.
Reposted by Jim Mayer 🇨🇦
Yeah. We voted to pay more in taxes for a new pool. If they're trying to keep the tax increase at a fixed level including the pool cost, that's not what we voted for.
Pull the Crystal Pool line into it's own section like the police budget and look at what's left. (Hope that's what they're doing)
Pull the Crystal Pool line into it's own section like the police budget and look at what's left. (Hope that's what they're doing)
November 8, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Yeah. We voted to pay more in taxes for a new pool. If they're trying to keep the tax increase at a fixed level including the pool cost, that's not what we voted for.
Pull the Crystal Pool line into it's own section like the police budget and look at what's left. (Hope that's what they're doing)
Pull the Crystal Pool line into it's own section like the police budget and look at what's left. (Hope that's what they're doing)
2/ We borrowed $200,000,000 to pay for the Crystal Pool replacement. Yes, the pool is important, but can you imagine the city proposing to borrow that much to provide safe bike & roll routes to every school? I would take safe routes to school over a new pool any day.
November 8, 2025 at 2:39 AM
2/ We borrowed $200,000,000 to pay for the Crystal Pool replacement. Yes, the pool is important, but can you imagine the city proposing to borrow that much to provide safe bike & roll routes to every school? I would take safe routes to school over a new pool any day.
I just know that the press and conservative candidates are going to drag that number out and beat the responsible councillors over the head with it. It's endlessly frustrating watching them roll out the populist playbook time and time again.
November 7, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I just know that the press and conservative candidates are going to drag that number out and beat the responsible councillors over the head with it. It's endlessly frustrating watching them roll out the populist playbook time and time again.
The article is also a bit of a misreading of what Council asked. The 4% was used to generate a list of options for Council to choose from. It's a subtle difference, but an important one!
November 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
The article is also a bit of a misreading of what Council asked. The 4% was used to generate a list of options for Council to choose from. It's a subtle difference, but an important one!
I think they take Council seriously. They just want a conservative one.
November 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I think they take Council seriously. They just want a conservative one.
(and that should have been "rejected a staff recommendation", not "removed". Sometimes I hate my phone)
November 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM
(and that should have been "rejected a staff recommendation", not "removed". Sometimes I hate my phone)
3/3 Personally, if I or a loved one has a medical emergency, I'd like there to be an available ambulance, and I'd like not to spend hours waiting at the hospital while doctors struggle to revive someone who could have been saved in minutes with a shot of naloxone at "The Harbour".
November 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
3/3 Personally, if I or a loved one has a medical emergency, I'd like there to be an available ambulance, and I'd like not to spend hours waiting at the hospital while doctors struggle to revive someone who could have been saved in minutes with a shot of naloxone at "The Harbour".
2/3 The facts show that supervised consumption sites not only prevent deaths, but also lighten the load on ambulance services and emergency rooms. There's data, but Councillor Gardiner doesn't seem to care. It feels like political posturing to me.
www.cfp.ca/content/63/1...
www.cfp.ca/content/63/1...
Does evidence support supervised injection sites?
Do supervised injection sites (SISs) reduce mortality, hospitalizations, ambulance calls, or disease transmission?
Best evidence from cohort and modeling studies suggests that SISs are associated wi...
www.cfp.ca
November 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
2/3 The facts show that supervised consumption sites not only prevent deaths, but also lighten the load on ambulance services and emergency rooms. There's data, but Councillor Gardiner doesn't seem to care. It feels like political posturing to me.
www.cfp.ca/content/63/1...
www.cfp.ca/content/63/1...
💯, and every time I go by the valet I see people dropping off or picking up bikes. It adds activity and "eyes on the street" to an otherwise pretty dead location. And after dropping off bikes, people WALK, and people walking are far more likely to stop at local businesses than people driving by.
November 7, 2025 at 7:06 PM
💯, and every time I go by the valet I see people dropping off or picking up bikes. It adds activity and "eyes on the street" to an otherwise pretty dead location. And after dropping off bikes, people WALK, and people walking are far more likely to stop at local businesses than people driving by.
The devil is in the details. For example, it looks like anything not explicitly excluded in an HCA would require a "Heritage Alteration Permit". Every time we add one more layer of review we add time, increase costs, discourage projects, and make homes more expensive.
heritagebc.ca/learning-cen...
heritagebc.ca/learning-cen...
Heritage Conservation Areas: The Legislation - Heritage BC
heritagebc.ca
November 6, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The devil is in the details. For example, it looks like anything not explicitly excluded in an HCA would require a "Heritage Alteration Permit". Every time we add one more layer of review we add time, increase costs, discourage projects, and make homes more expensive.
heritagebc.ca/learning-cen...
heritagebc.ca/learning-cen...
Another terrible member motion, that claims to be so time critical that it should be finalized later today. It's been clear since the 1970s that Centennial Square's concrete was failing as a public space, downtown's population is growing, and we need more vibrant public spaces, not fewer.
November 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Another terrible member motion, that claims to be so time critical that it should be finalized later today. It's been clear since the 1970s that Centennial Square's concrete was failing as a public space, downtown's population is growing, and we need more vibrant public spaces, not fewer.
I'm also excited by extending this program to co-ops. We have some below market units where I live (through the CRD), and the administration and enforcement of the covenants have been unclear (it's NOT a strata responsibility). Co-op ownership and responsibilities are much clearer!
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I'm also excited by extending this program to co-ops. We have some below market units where I live (through the CRD), and the administration and enforcement of the covenants have been unclear (it's NOT a strata responsibility). Co-op ownership and responsibilities are much clearer!