I encourage voters to take a hard look at Cal Patterson's campaign website before they cast their vote in this election. www.calpatterson.com I did, and I was shocked at some of the things that Patterson claims he has done over the years, and how he tries to take credit for everything good, but fails to mention all the bad he has done as Mayor of Wasaga Beach. Yes I know why would any candidate put anything negative on their campaign website.
Let's start off with his Photo Gallery. http://www.calpatterson.com/index.php?action=display&cat=2
If you scroll through the pictures you will notice that most of the pictures have nothing to do with him being Mayor of Wasaga Beach, but as Warden of Simcoe County.
Now let's move over to his posted list of accomplishments: http://www.calpatterson.com/index.php?action=display&cat=11
What I find interesting is that he tries to take credit for everything that council as a whole has done. Remember he's only one vote on council. One of the kickers for me is this "Approved the development of a commercial node at the Stonebridge Plaza with the opening of Wal-Mart, Boston Pizza, Swiss Chalet, etc. and a commercial node at Mosley and 45th street with the opening of the Superstore, Canadian Tire, retail and banking centre, and the Medical Centre".
He and council back before Stonebridge was developed, were kept in the dark as to what was being done with that land. I remember the uproar from residents when the trees were being removed from the land, and the town knew nothing about what was being done with that area. Patterson even went as far as taking full credit for bringing Wal-Mart to town, when in fact it was the owners of Stonebridge who worked very hard to convince Wal-Mart to open in Wasaga Beach. During the past 2 elections, who's been a major donor to the election campaign of Cal Patterson? that's right it's been the developers of Stonebridge, and the project on 45th street.
Patterson likes to bring up that it was him and him alone who's been able to attract doctors to the community. The fact is that the town offers to set-up doctors in the community by paying for their office space, and enticing them with money to relocate to Wasaga Beach. The taxpayers are the one's who are paying for this, and it's all of council who vote on this, and most matters that require the spending of tax payers money.
Most of the other items he's listed on his accomplishment page is not a result of Patterson's efforts, but that of town staff, and other members of council. While we are on the topic of accomplishments, we should address his failures which are many, but the biggest one is what has taken place at Beach area 1 and 2 since the fire back in 2007. We all know what happens when you team up with the Levy's who also were big donors to Patterson's election campaigns, and his causes around town and the county. It's one of Patterson's biggest failures as Mayor of Wasaga Beach. Business owners, average residents, students who were not paid, suppliers, all got screwed by the Levy's, but he won't admit it was his policies that allowed this to happen. His defense is that he's only one vote on council. Funny how he uses that line when things go wrong, but does not use that same line when good takes place in Wasaga Beach.
In the area of "Visions and Goals" http://www.calpatterson.com/index.php?action=display&cat=12
What really stood out for me was that he talks about how he's helped other families deal with Cancer. I know, and I give him credit for the fact that he donates his time to drive those needing chemo, or radiation treatment to Barrie. What most people don't know is that a once close friend of Patterson who I won't name out of respect for the family, had his wife dying of Cancer, and she needed assistance in getting back and forth for her treatments. At first Patterson would donate his time in helping this family out. All of that changed in 2010 when Patterson found out that the husband was supporting me in my bid to become Mayor. Patterson stopped talking to the family, he stopped driving the wife for her treatments, and all of this because the husband did not agree with Patterson's politics. Patterson put his political career and his need for power ahead of the needs of a family dealing with Cancer.
The bottom line is that the town needs a fresh start, it's needs new blood, and a new vision. It needs a leader who's not hated at Queens Park, who won't put his own political career ahead of the needs and wants of a town that's dying from the lack of proper development at our beach front. Anybody can claim that adding a skate park here, or making our roads wider, is an accomplishment that they are responsible for, but true leadership is actually leading, and not catering to the people or companies that donate their money to your election campaigns, or the causes that you as Mayor support.
When you vote, vote for the candidate you feel can make a difference in the next 4 years. But please vote.
Until next time!
