This is voting day in Ontario and there is a three person race for Mayor in Sioux Lookout.
CKDR News talked to Incumbent Doug Lawrance, former Mayor Dennis Leney and Jason Bailey.
Question #1: What are your main issues as Mayor?
Doug Lawrance: “Housing is the number one priority. We will continue to address social issues, justice and policing and try and reduce policing costs”.
Dennis Leney: “We have to get our costs in reasonable sync, noting there is too much being spent right now. I also want to keep our taxes as low as possible, pointing out they probably couldn’t do 0%.
Jason Bailey: “Housing. After all of the research I’ve done with issues faced by community members in Sioux Lookout regarding taxes, social and health, everything points to a need for more housing.”
Question #2: Stance on tax rate. Is an increase needed?
Doug Lawrance: “I think over the course of the last three years, we’ve had a 1.5% rate increase, on average, and that’s fiscally responsible and keeps up to inflation.”
Dennis Leney: “We have to find some way to alleviate the homeowners from paying all of the taxes. A lot of the younger generation can’t afford to pay the taxes, noting they are too high, especially with no major industry helping to ease the financial burden”.
Jason Bailey: “We can not be hitting on our residential taxpayers and business taxpayers the way we have in the last few years.”
Question #3: Where do you see your community in four years time?
Doug Lawrance: “Embrace their role as being the ‘Hub of the North’, and by doing so for the social and economic benefit of the entire community. Enhancing health care, education, social services and commercial opportunities.”
Dennis Leney: “With a good Council and a good team, start bringing more people into town and keeping them in Sioux Lookout with good paying jobs.”
Jason Bailey: “We will see some improvements in their infrastructure. We will see the municipality accessing more money from the provincial and federal governments.”
Question #4: Why should we vote you Mayor?
Doug Lawrance: “I hope people choose me based on my record over the past four years. Look at my values and does it align with their’s. Look at my performance and some of the things I was able to do.”
Dennis Leney: “Experience. I have had ten years of municipal experience. I am a dedicated guy and hard working. I am very community minded, involved in almost organization in the community and a member of the volunteer fire department for 39-years.”
Jason Bailey: “I’ve been involved with community members since I’ve been in Sioux Lookout for 14-years. I want to ensure I can help bring their voice and listen to them and ensure their voices are heard in real time.”
Ten people are in the running for five Council seats, while Donald Fenelon has been acclaimed as the Council representative of Hudson.
To hear more from Doug Lawrance, Dennis Leney and Jason Bailey, visit the Audio link below.
