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Meet the Candidates: David Murphy
Municipal Elections are taking place in October. As one of the main media outlets in the City of Cornwall, The Seeker is always eager to getting to know the candidates. As such, we send each candidate a questionnaire requesting for them to give their position on the most pressing issues near and dear to you, our readers. During the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing the answers from each candidate who choses to respond. Every candidate was sent 11 questions, penned by our own, Jason Setnyk. They can chose to answer as many as they want. We will post them online as they come in. Here are David Murphy’s Questions and Answers. Click on any question to reveal the answer.
1 – Please give us a brief biography / tell the readers about yourself.
(e.g., work/family/education/experience)
I am a proud lifetime Cornwall and area resident. I am a former two term city counsellor (2010-2018) and have been honoured to have been or currently am a member of several service clubs, not-for-profits or fundraising initiatives to assist local residents.
2 – If you were on Council the previous term, tell us about your accomplishments during the past four years. If you were not on City Council this last term, please tell us why you are running and what you hope to accomplish.
While I was not on council this last term, I gladly continued to assist local residents with various issues from waste collection, permits and other dealings with administration. Financial accountability and sustainability are the focus for the upcoming term should I be honoured with being elected to council.
3 – With rents skyrocketing, what can City Council in Cornwall do to prevent renovictions like those at Cumberland Gardens that have impacted many in our community?
Working with MPP Quinn on issues such as this will definitely be important over the next several years. This is one of a number issues we can and should work with the province to ensure residents continue to have the necessary tools to prevent a repeat of this quagmire.
4 – In 2018, the City of Cornwall purchased the old Bank of Montreal building in our downtown for $450,000 as the future home of Cornwall’s Art Centre. In 2019, Council heard a report that renovations would cost an additional $4 to $6 million dollars. In addition to the fundraising already being done, will you support some public tax dollars going towards a Cornwall Art Centre, or should the municipality pause any additional financial support?
If I’m not mistaken, council has already committed to ensuring the administration portion of this initiative is taken care of in the annual budget.
Well I believe there should be some money set aside annually, there has to be a frank discussion about financial sustainability and what options would be available for us to continue to support this very important project.
5 – Post-pandemic, what can Council do to improve Economic Development for the city and support existing businesses?
Tax incentives and continued work with Economic Development for growth is very important to existing businesses of all sizes in all areas of the city. Economic Development should be proactive with local businesses and ensure they are not forgotten while at the same time ensuring new businesses get the assistance they require to get established.
6 – What are your thoughts on the McConnell Medical Clinic closure? Although health care is a provincial issue, is there anything Council can do to attract more doctors and nurses to our city?
This is one of those many issues mentioned earlier to ensure we keep working with MPP Quinn. Our doctor continues to be a success and continues to draw new physicians to Cornwall.
7 – While climate change is a global issue, what can the City do locally to keep our neighborhoods cool and protect natural resources like the St. Lawrence River?
This is an issue where a solid working partnership with both levels of senior government could assist Cornwall city council in being a proactive and effective leader in dealing with climate change. Supporting initiatives at all levels of government would help fund such initiatives as well as ensure their viability.
8 – Many City businesses are open on Sundays, and many events happen on Sundays. Do you support Sunday service for Cornwall Transit?
Service for Cornwall Transit should be viable and to a certain point self-sufficient. If the numbers for Sunday service are in line with other days, I would not have a problem supporting that. And that goes for extended hours as well.
9 – What can we do to improve social services in Cornwall? Examples include but are not limited to Cornwall Transit, childcare spaces, or LTR spaces.
Social services are largely funded from senior levels of government while the City of Cornwall has been tasked with the administration of those services. We could also work with local not for profits who focus on assisting residents with their financial needs to boost their social service needs.
10 – Do you support keeping tax increases to a bare minimum? If yes, where would the savings come from, and would you support reducing some services? If you do not support keeping tax increases to a minimum, explain your reasoning why.
I do support keeping tax increases to sustainable levels. Tax increases should not be looked at annually but over the term of the council which is four years. There are ways to streamline services and ensure their viability and sustainability without cutting services. This is an issue for “need to have versus nice to have” can come into play.
11 – How can candidates contact you? Please provide a phone number and/or email and/or one website (or one social media link).
My phone number is 613-577-4369.
Email is [email protected]
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