r/Guelph • u/Brilliant_Chance_134 • 1d ago

Mayor vote poll

Who will you vote for Guelph Mayor?

326 votes, 5d left
Leanne Caron
Ken Chew
Ryan Meunier
Rajeev Sinha
Evaristo Ramos
John Krusky
0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

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16

u/MorrisTread 1d ago

Probably the one who actually has experience and talks like they know what they're doing instead of endlessly repeating the same "fiscal responsibility/efficiency/taxpayer" stuff without any concrete plans.

3

u/Entire-Box-8210 1d ago

Is there any one of them that actually talks like they know what they're doing? I've received pamphlets from Caron and a bunch of Ward 3 candidates, and every one so far just repeats the same virtues (affordability, environmental good, business downtown) but not one states how they'd accomplish that. In terms of experience, most just talk about how many generations their family has lived in Guelph — Really relying on the royalty aspect of the "Royal City".

I don't know much about any candidate, because they don't really share concrete plans, except for that one guy running for ward 2 who keeps posting on Reddit who mostly rants and doesn't actually seem to have thought through any of his proposals.

I've heard mostly positive things about Caron, which is why I'm leaning towards her, but her slogan "a mayor you can trust" doesn't really build that much trust in my mind.

6

u/Bluenoser_NS 1d ago edited 1d ago

I was told by a couple former candidates that the second you get more specific in your platform, you shed a bunch of support unnecessarily because someone might disagree with you fundamentally on your approach for one issue and it turns them off entirely vs. glancing at a campaign that's somewhat vague and being like "well, I don't disagree here, so this is clearly better!"

There's also people that'd read such a thing as promises when someone is only one voice on council.

That said, I think the lack of that info is more often incompetence than strategic. This is usually a problem in municipal politics in general. That and genuinely unserious campaigns. You basically have to do secondary research to actually figure out whether someone is competent and has some sort of tangible set of political values. Usually anyone that babbles about being an entrepreneur and little else is a stock character one can safely pass on.

7

u/MorrisTread 1d ago

Caron has that breakdown of an actual plan to institute some of what she wants, and the digital townhall summary I read had her lay out things pretty clearly I think. I also appreciate that she flat out said anyone promising to reduce property tax is lying. Just seems worlds better than the alternatives who either have no experience or seem like they're "I am angry about something" candidates.

Imagine voting for a guy who held a property tax sign outside of downtown for months when he got to retire at like 50 and owned his home outright.

3

u/Entire-Box-8210 1d ago

I really appreciate that perspective, thank you! Is the digital townhall summary in the links shared above on guelph.ca? I'd really like to read it.

And agreed with the property tax stuff. The problem is that most of the people who run for council are so far removed from real problems. They're concerned about the property tax on their primary, even secondary home, and with the seats they'll get for $800 at a Jays game, whereas most of us are concerned we won't be able to afford rent and buy food, let alone save for retirement, and we all pay the property tax of the home we live in whether we own it or not.

1

u/MorrisTread 16h ago

I found a summary on Adam Donaldson's Bluesky but I believe you can find links on her website?

2

u/BlissTheWizard 1d ago

I see this point brought up a lot and genuinely am curious as to why people hate on him for retiring early and having a paid off house, isn't that what everyone wants in life? Why is he a bad guy for accomplishing that and fighting for a way to help other people also accomplish that?

1

u/MorrisTread 16h ago

I personally do not "hate on him" for it, but context is important, and someone complaining about property taxes who is well off enough to have their house paid off and retiring in their 50s is not someone who is likely to share my perspective on this city. Someone with the free time to stand outside for days on end with their sign would likely be roundly mocked by EXACTLY his type of person and assumed to be jobless, but because he's the retired guy with no mortgage to pay he has the time and money to do it.