Why don't we want the poor to own anything?

Since the days of Mike Harris municipalities have been up against it having to deal with the so-called reform of the welfare system. Recently I read a report by John Stapleton, a well respected social policy expert. The report addresses one aspect of what social assistance applicants and recipients have to deal with.


The report that is called “Why don’t we want the poor to own anything? Our relentless social policy journey toward destitution for the 900,000 poorest people in Ontario.”

The title says a lot.

The report is about asset testing. I’m not sure whether many readers of this blog have direct experience with this cruel and foolish policy. Asset testing limits eligibility to welfare benefits when applicants have certain liquid assets above an established limit.

Asset testing used today is far more stringent than at any time since the post-war period.

Read Stapleton’s report at http://www.metcalffoundation.com/

Here is a Cole’s notes version.

*Most programs in Canada have abandoned asset testing.

* Seven per cent of Ontario’s population are subject to often stringent asset testing.

*Asset limits were dropped by a factor of five (single persons) and four (lone parent) by Mike Harris, a change which was in many ways had much more impact than the 21.6 per cent cuts to social assistance he put in place.

*The asset limit for lone parents in 1948 adjusted to inflation would be $10,900 today. In fact, the current asset limit is $1,550.

Since the McGuinty government came into power, many of the Harris implemented clampdowns have been relaxed or removed. And while the limits on assets have changed, the huge drops in asset limits “caused by linking asset accumulation to monthly rates have yet to be addressed.”

What to do

Stapleton wants to:

*Raise asset limits for social assistance and legal aid to $5,000 for singles and $10,000 for families with disabilities.

*Get in line with Alberta and Quebec by exempting portions or all of Tax Free Savings and RRSPs.

*Exempt, in the short term, all assets for the first six months of receipt of assistance.

*Eliminate the option to test subsidized housing under the Social Housing Reform Act.

Hopefully, decision makers will read this report.

What do you think?

YES YOU ARE GETTING OLDER DEAR

Back in the day when I was a Councillor I worried that if there were no seniors in town I’d become redundant.

After all the majority of concerns directed my way came from those in their sunset years.

That man who picks up the garbage is an hour late today.

Those teenagers are loitering in the mall again.

The dandelions are out of control on the north side of New Street.

I’ve got squirrels in my backyard and it is my neighbour’s fault.

Please take care of this?

Yes sir. Yes ma’am.

Local government is closest to the people and your concerns are mine, as they say. So I took care of it - mostly.

I’m older now, pushing sixty. Wiser, I’m not sure?

But now I’ve got my own problems - GARAGE SALES.

You ask what could be wrong with these down-to earth community events?
They’re neighbourly, promote recycling and help people make a few bucks.

But the guy across the street is having five or six a year. So is someone further down the block. Patrons, if that is what they are called, wake me and my true love up early on Saturday mornings; they block our driveway; and frankly just annoy me.

My neighbour, the guy who used to gripe about my son playing ball hockey in the street, is the focus of my ire. I’m sure you’ve got neighbours like this too.

After his last garage sale he took off faster than a pick pocket being chased by Donovan Bailey and came back soon – it couldn’t have been more than thirty minutes later - with stuff, garage sale stuff, that he is going to offer up to the public at his next sale and that will probably be next weekend.

There must be a by-law on this. And if there isn’t there should be.

I’m calling my Councillor. I mean he works for me, doesn’t he? And if he won’t do something about it I’ll write a by-law myself.

And if he doesn’t support it, well he better be getting some job counselling soon because he’ll be looking for work after the next election.

When is the next election anyway?

Learnings form the Other Municipalities - Edmonton #2

Editorial writers at the Edmonton Journal had their City of Champions shorts in a knot over public transit recently.

Seems that the creation of a new student transit pass has meant the system has "absorbed" five million more riders than expected.

This low blow to property taxpayers came about when college and university students took advantage of a annual pass that was offered at a bargain price.

The result was that student ridership averaged 40 trips per month instead of the anticipated 25. Clearly the pass price of $78.75 per year should be revisited.

But the Journal pontificators really jumped offside when they questioned the appropriateness of property taxes going to public transit. Then - a warning please move young children away from the screen - they used the S-Word (i.e., subsidy) while talking about public transit. No mention of the massive subsidies given to automobile users every day.

So Edmonton bureaucrats get the price right.

More people on public transit should be a good news story - especially in Alberta.

Learnings from Other Municipalities - Edmonton #1

Hamilton (the City of Waterfalls) has 77 or so of them and one high level bridge.

Edmonton (the City of Champions) has but one waterfall and it flows off their high level bridge, or did until this summer.

According to the Edmonton Journal, the Great Divide Waterfall which usually "operates" about five times a year is turned off until 2010.

While it is speculated that tourists will be disappointed, they'll have to wait until the city has figured a way to get the chlorine out of the water as it is detrimental to fish and natural habitats in the North Saskatchewan River.

Thirty million litres of water cascades off the bridge each year adding 0.4% of chlorinated discharge into the river.

A "hired" consultant is going to sort out the options and the cost of dechlorinating the water and report back later this year.

Disappointed tourists can, hopefully, check out some of the areas more natural water features until the taps start to flow again.

Regulating Rental Housing

Would it be a good idea for municipalities to establish “landlord registries.”

On June 1 Hamilton city staff are beginning consultation to assist in developing recommendations and an overview so that “City Council can make an informed decision on if or how rental housing should be regulated.”

Why this Review could make a Difference to Tenants

Since 2007 Ontario municipalities have had the ability to enhance existing licensing. Some municipalities are starting to take advantage of this new power in order to address health, safety, and property maintenance issues faced by tenants.
Typically, such a registry would require landlords to obtain a license and maintain their rental property and building in good condition.

New By-Law in London

Earlier this year London Ontario put in place an enforcement program focussing on addressing substandard housing conditions in areas of the city known for deficient housing conditions. A plan to cover the whole city is in the works.

Considerable opposition to the London initiative came from property mangers and landlords. They argued that the regulation was another tax; municipalities already have the tools to inspect buildings; and that the cost of licensing fees will be passed down to the tenant.

Other Places, Other Approaches

Other cities like Ottawa are moving ahead with the backing of tenants’ groups. Oshawa was the first out of the starting blocks, however, it designed its registry to cover a particular section of the city where students are housed. This presents human rights issues.

Toronto has gone in a different direction. Last year the Centre of the Universe launched a Multi-Residential Apartment Building Audit and enforcement program that will provide inspection and enforcement action on at least 176 of the City's rental buildings in the first year of a pilot project. Toronto is doing this audit with existing resources. A fee of $60 per hour will be charged to the building for each visit after the second inspection until an order is completed to meet bylaw or provincial requirements

There are different approaches possible. It’s important, though, that as municipalities begin to look at developing these polices tenant voices are heard.

You can be sure that landlords will represent their interests.

(This is an edited version of an article that appeared earlier on the Hamilton Spectator's Poverty blog - No Excuses)

Get out of My Ward

We didn’t have e-mail back in the nineties so when I’d see the Ward 7 Councillor on my turf in Ward 8 I simply yell at him to get out of my ward.

This seemed very funny to both of us in those days. After all we were Councillors who served the whole city and ward boundaries were arbitrary and frequently adjusted as the city’s population shifted.

However, based on a small piece in the Toronto Star this past Friday such encroachments are now pretty serious stuff.

“Stop messing in my ward or there will be problems, Ward 18 Toronto Councillor Adam Giambrone e-mailed fellow Councillor Cesar Palacio of Ward 17.

Giambrone continued: “I generally ignore your actions, but I am going to start looking for ways to cause trouble for you and when I start you’re not going to appreciate it.”

Not surprisingly Palacio has complained to the City’s integrity commissioner.

My method from the nineties - just shouting - was probably as effective and didn’t leave a paper trail.

Making Burlington Prosperous

During my lunch hour yesterday I had a terrific idea for boosting Burlington’s economic prospects.

It involves Oakville, polling and drive-thrus.

You see the Town of Oakville apparently has concerns about the negative impacts drive- thrus at banks and fast food locations might be having on their beautiful town.

So they decided to get input from the public.

I’ve made mine already – ban these environmental disasters - that’s what I say.

And if these out-of -touch Oakvillians – the fools – are taken in by a manipulated internet poll and really go ahead and regulate drive-thrus think what that could mean for our fine city.

Townies from the east will be flocking here in the thousands so they can bank on their backsides and roll up the rim without breaking a sweat.

It is called O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-T-Y. And with some innovative thinking we can really take this one to the bank. Think drive-thru funeral homes, weddings. The mind boggles.

Vote on the Oakville poll at www.oakville.ca. Vote early and often.