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8- The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 20, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Burton turns heat up on opponents By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Three of Oakville's four mayoral candidates -- incumbent Ann Mulvale, and councillors Chris Stoate and Janice Wright -- were put on the defensive by claims from the fourth candidate -- second-time mayoral challenger Rob Burton -- at a Bronte all-candidates' meeting Wednesday. Secret severance deals, sloppy planning errors, a lack of public facilities, tax hikes, an Official Plan full of loopholes, careless Town finances, develpment charge subsidies to developers, and sloppy financial reporting were among Burton's allegations. The meeting was at Walton Memorial United Church, sponsored by the Bronte BIA, and drew nearly 100 people for the mayoral discussion, but slowly lost its crowd as the evening progressed with questions to Ward 1 Regional/Town council candidates and Regional chair candidates. The Ward's veteran Town councillor, Ralph Robinson, has been acclaimed. All the candidates presented their platforms, took questions from moderator John Sawyer, the Oakville Chamber of Commerce's executive director, and then wrapped up. "You can deny reality in an election campaign, but it will confront you when you hold office." Oakville Mayor Ann Mulvale Burton, an east-end resident and retired businessman vowed to be a mayor who does his job in Oakville, not further afield, to clean up the Town's financial house. He spoke of his own solid Official Plan proposal that he has dubbed Liveable Oakville. Burton said his plan doesn't depend on changing "the feds, the province, the UN or the Pope." "It works in Oakville without anybody else changing anything," he said. That's in direct opposition to Mulvale's platform, in which the incumbent and veteran Oakville mayor, pledges to make the best use of the connections she has worked with all parties at the provincial and federal levels to cut a better deal for Oakville on funding and provinciallydirected growth, among other things. Mulvale said it's easy to criticize from outside, but the reality strikes when you take office. at Sescolite Burlington October 20 - November 3 No matter what you're reading ­ or where ­ a new Sescolite floor or table lamp will make it better. And, until November 3, will cost you 15% less. Every table lamp. Every floor lamp. Every style. Every finish. Even new products. 15% off* So, finish reading this ad and bring it with you to the Burlington showroom and save. QEW Walkers Line Guelph Line Burlington Showroom Fair view St. Appleby Line 4175 Fairview Street 905-632-8659 New St. *Offer valid on regular retail merchandise only. Newspaper ad must be presented for sale discount. "You can deny reality in an election campaign, but it will confront you when you hold office," said Mulvale. The incumbent said her plan will deliver, it has in the past, and will bring choice to Oakville in catching up on needed facilities, bringing more tax money to Oakville and allowing Oakville to control growth being imposed by the Province. Mulvale pointed to her role in a federal/municipal memorandum that gives municipalities a more equal playing field, gas taxes that are now flowing to town and her work to eliminate pooling that sees millions of local tax dollars funding social housing in Toronto. She also spoke to a memorandum of understanding with the Province that she's pushing to direct intensification growth to the mid-town and uptown cores and away from existing neighbourhoods, a call for an infrastructure plan to accompany the Province's Places to Grow legislation and the success of bringing the Province back into funding GO Transit and in allowing Oakville to develop a Natural Heritage System (NHS) in north Oakville. "It's always easy to offer criticism from the outside," said Mulvale, adding, "I've invested my time, my passion is clear, I have a plan." "Oakville is envied by all and second to none. The change we need is in legislation and attitude, not change in the mayor's chair," said Mulvale. Burton said all three of his mayoral opponents "did nothing about mistakes when they had the chance," alluding to their last three years on council. "If they split the vote, we residents will all lose, again," said Burton, who in the 2003 municipal election ended up heading to court demanding a recount based on vote tabulation irregularities. The recount that was finally done in March, confirmed Mulvale the winner by just over two dozen votes. Stoate and Wright also offer change. Stoate said it took Oakville 150 years to get to 150,000 population and now the Province wants it to do it again in just 25 years. "This kind of powerful challenge requires a different kind of leadership than we've had in the past," said Stoate. It's his business acumen -- he established and grew his own business successfully -- and his proven ability to develop a clear vision, determine non-negotiables, set goals and achieve with an action plan that allow him to offer that necessary change. Stoate charged that the Town's leadership has been reactive rather than proactive and it must change. "If Oakville is to retain its small town feel, it's going to take some big city thinking," said Stoate who has served as a Town councillor in Ward 3 since 2003. He also said that while it's imperative to come up with a bullet-proof Official See Candidates page 9