Housing, taxes, black soot dominate Hamilton’s ward 4, 8 debates

During Friday’s Cable 14 debates, candidates in wards 4 and 8 in Hamilton discussed housing affordability, property taxes, black soot, AI data centres and community safety. 

In Ward 4, five candidates joined the debate including Tammy Hwang, who is the incumbent, Jason Farr, Jemma Lambert, Tony Mamone and Tobin Tuff. 

Industrial and commercial land make up a portion of Ward 4. 

Candidates began their opening statements with issues Hamiltonians face.  

“We face significant challenges from a massive $5.2 billion 10 year infrastructure deficit, rising inflation, economic pressures on our workforce, community safety concerns and environmental pollution,” Hwang says.

“The affordability crisis deepens and during the last four years, our current Ward 4 councillor and the majority of others taxed and spent our money as if there was no affordability crisis at all. We need to stop this recklessness and return to pragmatic management,” Farr says.

“We all deserve to have a city councillor who respects their residents … and somebody who actually represents the gathered voices and opinions at council,” Lambert says.

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“Hamilton families are under tremendous financial pressures. Property taxes have risen substantially, almost doubling the rate of inflation during the last four years,” Mamone says.

“I can’t help but notice the lack of representation at city hall. We see councillors making unilateral decisions that don’t necessarily reflect the will of the residents or even reasonably reaching out to communicate with residents to weigh in on voting matters,” Tuff says.

Meanwhile, in Ward 8 the current councillor Rob Cooper is running for mayor, opening up the seat for seven candidates. 

During that debate, four of those candidates participated including Ninos Damerchie, Dawn Danko, Adlan Taramov and Jacob Tenbrinke. 

“I hear concerns about public safety. I see the conditions of our roads and infrastructure and I see traffic getting worse. I see property taxes and the cost of living continuing to rise,” Damerchie says.

“I believe that connection to the board is incredibly valuable for a city councillor because you can see the issues and challenges as they happen,” Danko says.

“I’m very passionate about our city. I don’t think it’s going in the right direction with property taxes rising and core services declining,” Taramov says.

“We need to fix the roads, improve city services, support our frontline heroes and actually care for our homeless population while delivering manageable property taxes,” Tenbrinke says.

The municipal election is on Oct. 26. Residents can visit online for the full debates.

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