Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 20, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press sunday june 20, 2004 a5 race for Council top contenders for mayors Job dismiss poll indicated Katz comfortably in the Lead hopefuls say Only election Day matters group he believes is supporting him by David Obrien even though the poll showed Vandal with the most support among seniors across a poll that shows Sam Katz leading the City. The mayoral race by a Comfort he said he would be using the six Able margin has to weakened the buses he owns As part of a seniors trans enthusiasm of the major contenders for por tation service to help get out his sup the Job. Porters on election Day. Most candidates challenged the polls Mihaychuk whom the free press Validity saying they believed they had endorsed yesterday said she believed More support than it suggested. The poll was dated. I feel if i a not at the top right now a lot has happened in the last week i a near the top former Deputy mayor she said noting there have been several Dan Vandal said yesterday. I feel very debates and Campaign announcements. Good and i know i will win this race. I Mihaychuk added that Many mayoral will be candidates have been considered the the probe research poll found that underdog in the past notably former Katz the Winnipeg Gold eyes ceo and mayor Susan Thompson in 1992, but they president had the support of 38 per cent surged ahead in the end to Surprise the of decided voters followed by Vandal pundits. With 27 per cent. For his part Katz said he want taking Al Golden was third with 14 per cent anything for granted. Followed by Garth Steek 10 per cent its Nice to know i be got the support by David Obrien and Maryann Mihaychuk nine per cent. But it does to mean anything if they Don to the four other candidates ? Gordon get out and vote for Rebecca Kraus thought she was on Kirkby Shirley Timm Rudolph Natalie probe president Scott Mckay said the the Way to a Church to get married Pollock and Nelson p. Morrison ? col ability of the leading candidates to get yesterday until her dad took a Lect ively had the support of two per cent their supporters out to vote could be the Detour and dropped her and the wed of respondents. Deciding Factor in who wins. Ding party off at a polling station. The poll of 600 adults conducted from Vandal said he believes his Well oiled after All a wedding is no excuse june 10 to june 17, is considered acc machine and experienced election Man not to vote. Rate within 4.13 percentage Points 19 agers will turn the tide in his favour on i was a Little worried Rebecca times out of 20. Only the 551 respondents tuesday. 24, said. Who said they would definitely or Possi polls Are not always accurate and i i was scared id be late for trebly vote in tuesdays election were asked would suggest this is one of those times about their voting intentions. When they will be shown to be off base her dad Dave Kraus said his Golden said he dismissed the poll in he said. Three children were All raised to part because i Don to Trust the free press Steek could to be reached for com believe in the importance of per or anything it says or ment yesterday. Forming their civic duty by voting. He added he was angry the City has to held More Advance polls for seniors a. Swatski has a message for new mayor. Help police chief says City a Force at end of the rope that Means some of those jobs by Bruce Owen Are still being done by police offi cers. Winnipeg police chief Jack the police service is the Swatski has a message to the largest expenditure in the City a City a new mayor ? we need $693-million operating budget. More police officers. Police did get $2.6 million in we re at the end of the rope additional funding this year Swatski said Friday night As he bringing the total police operate walked on patrol in the City sing budget to about $140 million. West end with Community beat but that new Money mostly Cov officer const. Ritchie Miller. If ers wage increases. We Don to get additional resources the police operating budget then we re looking to take things for 2003 was $137.9 million and off our $123.5 million in 2002. Swatski also said because of Swatski said to ease the stress the pressure on the police to be on police the City recently All things to All people there Are brought in a new policy in which now fewer officers on the front the already approved plan to front line officers respond to line than there was 10 years ago reduce the police operating Dis fewer false alarms. To respond to Calls. Tricks to four from six something Swatski has also overseen the the election Campaign for which will eliminate some Duple creation of the arrest processing mayor has seen candidates cation of police services. Unit which has lessened the time Promise More resources. Garth Swatski said he had no prefer officers spend dealing with Pris Steek pledged 25 More officers fences on who becomes mayor owners. And Sam Katz said up to 40 new but warned they should know the Over the same period win officers could be hired. 1,200-officer police Force is Nipges crime rate has fallen in Al Golden said before hiring stretched thin. Keeping with what a happening More officers the police service Swatski had asked City coun across Canada. Should look at managing its cil for 25 additional police offi compared to the rest of Cana resources better. Cers this year at a closed door a Manitoba still has the second Maryann Mihaychuk said Hir budget hearing last March. He highest violent crime rate next ing More police officers in to a also asked for permission to hire to Saskatchewan and third High magic fix but she did to Rule out 16 additional civilians to do est property crime rate next to increasing the size of the Force administrative work . And Saskatchewan. If a Cost Benefit Case can be both of Swatski a requests made for it. Were rejected by a City Council. Dan Vandal said he supports determined to Cap spending. Katz team airs Cost of plans stung by criticism his Campaign has been Long on Mcfadyen says is roughly $5.35 million. It Breaks promises and Short on specifics Sam Katz Selec Down like this Tion team released a detailed balance Sheet yes. The Lions share comes from a $4.8-million Cut in Ter Day to show it All adds up. The business tax that year. Hugh Mcfadyen Katz a Campaign manager Cau. It is estimated that the Cost of the infill housing toned that some of the numbers Are just estimates program will be offset by new revenues from tax because of a Lack Access to the City a books and growth while the tax Holiday on renovations will current state of affairs. Also be Revenue Neutral because it will replace an in a nutshell Katz envisions cutting Revenue and existing program. Increasing spending for a total budget Impact of. Free transit service is estimated at $500,000 Between $10.2 million and $11.75 million. It will be parking flexibility at $50,000. Offset by total savings in other areas of up to $12.8 on the spending Side Katz will million. Boost police and Community patrols at a Cost of Mcfadyen challenged the other candidates to $2.6 million. Cost out their promises so the Public will have a. Add $600,000 to the dutch Elm program. Chance to evaluate the credibility of their Cam. Spend $2.8 million on the film Industry comm pains. Nity clubs a youth corps Mosquito control Energy the budgetary numbers Are limited to 2006, the efficiency. Earliest year that Katz a commitments on spend. Spend $400,000 on new downtown buses. Ing and Revenue can be fully in place. Mcfadyen says savings will be realized by Cut on the Revenue Side Katz has pledged to phase Ting the consulting budget by up to $7 million. The out the business tax provide incentives for infill City currently spends More than $20 million on con housing offer a tax Holiday for Home renovations sultans. Free transit for seniors and More flexibility on the another $5.8 million he says can be saved Cost of metered parking downtown. Through competitive service delivery in such areas Rebecca had wanted to vote in the mayoral election Advance poll the previous night but her dad told her there want time. She said that concerned her because she and her new husband Are leaving for a honeymoon in min Neapolis tomorrow meaning shed miss tuesdays civic election. As it turned out yesterdays pre wedding vote was part of a joke her dad wanted to play. I told him afterwards he was mean Rebecca said laughing. She cast her vote at 2 45 . At Park City West Community Centre 115 Sanford Fleming re. In Transcona even though they had to be at a Church in fort Rouge at 3 30. We made it on time thank god she said. Her three bridesmaids accompanied her into the polling station where other members of the wed Ding party were waiting. There was lots of laughing and clapping from the other people who were there to vote her dad said. I be never missed an election and i Hope my kids never do he said adding people who Don to vote should keep their opinions and complaints to themselves. ;