TEDJO: We owe voters our respect – and a plan

“Respect for the taxpayer” is one of those phrases that gets thrown around during a campaign until it just becomes part of the election hum.

But there’s wisdom in the cliche, and it comes down to treating people like adults.

This Monday, when Mississauga voters see my name on the ballot for mayor, there are a myriad of reasons that they may choose me – or not choose me.

Whether or not you like my costed plan to freeze property taxes for at least two years, my strategy to fight crime, or the five rapid transit lines that I’ve mapped out, you will know where I stand and exactly what I would do if elected mayor.

I have submitted a complete platform for voters to judge. Affordability, housing, transit, economic development and crime prevention are the fundamental pillars that I believe every would-be mayor should answer for before election day.

And to be fair to my opponents, it’s challenging to put forward a plan when you’ve already been in power for so long. Bonnie Crombie and Carolyn Parrish have a combined 12 years in the mayor’s chair in Mississauga, so anything they put forward naturally raises the question: what took you so long?

Legacy mayors yet to submit a complete platform

Nevertheless, it’s telling that on the eve of the election neither of these legacy mayors have submitted a complete platform for your consideration. In a way, that says even more.

Bonnie Crombie stopped writing her platform as soon as she hit the headline jackpot with her notion of a subway extension to Mississauga. She hasn’t offered a feasible route map, cost, or a timeline for a project that carries an estimated cost of $24 billion.

And Carolyn Parrish’s platform amounts to her $2.5-billion plan to build a convention centre in downtown Mississauga.

Both of these mayors will be out of office before either of these projects could be completed and we will be stuck with the bill regardless of how high the costs climb. See the still unfinished Hurontario LRT, and the fact that property taxes rose 30% in the past four years.

In a six-month campaign period, the two have repeatedly stated they intend to keep raising taxes yearly, and have publicly fought over which one of them would be better at raising taxes. But neither of them have explained what exactly they plan to raise taxes for, or why they don’t feel like we need to know.

Respecting taxpayers, renters and workers means being up front

I can’t cut a ribbon on my tax freeze plan. There’s no photo-op to be had with transit users who shaved 30 minutes off of their commute. I can’t put my name on the side of a lower crime rate. And I don’t want to. Respecting taxpayers, renters and workers means being up front: I would love to promise a lot of things, but I won’t tax Mississauga to the brink to pay for a campaign promise.

I am proud to be the first mayoral candidate in Mississauga history to receive the endorsement of the Peel Regional Police Association. I’m even prouder that this endorsement was granted based on merit – a result of being the only candidate with a comprehensive crime platform that they believe will actually reduce crime.

If after four years my neighbours are no longer afraid to leave their cars parked in their driveways overnight, I’ll count that as a victory.

As Mississauga residents, we know that we can’t afford more of the same. But a pitch for change requires a plan. On election day, whether voters choose me or not, I will have at least achieved my first goal: to respect my fellow Mississaugans enough to tell them who I am and how I can help, and let them decide if I’m good enough for them.

Change doesn’t start when you win. It starts with how you ask to lead.

– Alvin Tedjo is a Mississauga City Councillor and is running to be the next mayor of Mississauga

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