CANDIDATE FOR WARD 2 COUNCILLOR
Richard Hinton
I stand for an efficiently run Scugog that delivers noticeable improvements for residents, so everyone can feel like our property taxes are actually making a difference again.
MEET THE CANDIDATE
Why I’m Running
Hello Everyone,
I'm Richard Hinton and I decided to run for Ward 2 Councillor for a few key reasons.
1. Like most people in our community, I want to fix our roads. This is an expensive endeavor, so it needs appropriate procurement strategies to help do them as efficiently as possible. We have some of the worst roads in Southern Ontario town and my plan is to get council to adopt a prioritization list that tackles our most critical and dire condition roadways first.
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2. I'm very passionate about keeping the ENTIRE fairgrounds public. Selling a portion of those grounds to pay for the revitalization of the rest is a lazy solution that was only reached for because there's fiscal mismanagement in the current budget. I'll look to work as partners with the Port Perry Agricultural Society to ensure the history and all of the grounds are preserved, but also to ensure that the community gets a more useful public space that can host multiple events a year, regular leisure and the annual fair.
3. After having seen property taxes climb unreasonably and unnecessarily high since covid I had enough. It seems like every month I see an update from the township about an absolutely terrible waste of money. Whether that's disposing of fleet vehicles prematurely or paying inexcusable sums for tree planting in parks. There are so many strategies for local bid structures that would allow this township to employ our own to help reinvest in our communities and keep budgets lower.
Lastly, I wanted to run to ensure that there were no acclamations to council.
QUICK FACTS
Years in Community
6 years
Occupation
20 years of experience in supply chain, procurement, negotiation & business management
First-Time Candidate
Yes
MY PRIORITIES
The Issues That Matter Most
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Responsible Growth
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Infrastructure & Roads
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Parks & Recreation
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Fiscal Responsibility
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Support Local Business
WHERE I STAND
Housing
Scugog has charm that should be preserved. Large scale developments can be allowed if they have the appropriate space to do so (not wetlands).
Taxes
Our budget will need to be reviewed line by line to eliminate waste and ultimately reduce the amount of property tax increases.
Development
Growth is natural, but there's a level of growth that's sustainable and one that's not. Scugog needs to keep its charm and small town feel. Growth can be introduced where and when it's appropriate and responsible to do so.
Local Business
Procurement bylaws should be revised to utilize local businesses where possible, when it makes sense. Scugog also has two major draws that could be developed to drive additional tourism. Firstly, the fairground revitalization should allow for more concerts and public events to drive additional tourism. Port Perry should also actively court Film & TV location scouts to continue putting Port Perry on the map and drive additional industry & subsequent tourism spend.
Parks & Recreation
These spaces are absolutely vital to our community. We need outdoor pickle ball courts. We need to maintain parks and trails.
Transparency
If I'm elected, I will work to ensure that no council decisions are made in private. Every part of a municipal government should be publicly accessible.
FAQs
Your Questions, Answered
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The biggest challenge facing our community is upgrading our infrastructure quickly, while keeping property taxes low. We need scalable procurement programs and top tier negotiations with companies to achieve this. I plan to use my 20 years of private sector experience in supply chain, procurement, contract & business management to help achieve this.
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1. A Scugog road replacement prioritization list, with clear timelines available to the public.
2. The fairgrounds lease renewal with the PPAS and subsequent revitalization needs to at least be started, if not completed.
3. Reduce our townships unnecessary spending on consultants and ultimately return fiscal responsibility to our municipality.
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Truthfully, I feel we need a councillor who is going to seriously question the status quo and someone that's not afraid to ask the tough questions to get things done.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Meet Me in the Community
All candidates. One community. Make an informed choice.
The Port Perry Bulletin is proud to provide a platform for local candidates to share their ideas and connect with residents.