Public opinion doesn’t always measure what’s best for the public

City politics are the most local of the three levels of government, but it’s actually rare that a city issue stirs passionate interest.

When blood does get boiling – or at least simmering – calls for a referendum tend to float up through the steam.

Peterborough voters experienced a referendum’s cloudy effects twice in the past quarter-century. In 1995 voters rejected a casino. Eight years later they turned thumbs down on The Parkway.

Today the city has a casino and The Parkway is still a subject of intense debate – strong evidence that politicians see referendum results as little more than the vapor of public opinion.

But more on that later.

The “R” word was floated again this week by Coun. Keith Riel in relation to plans to sell the city-owned electrical utility company’s distribution network to Hydro One.

Perhaps a referendum call was inevitable. Like The Parkway and the casino, the utility sale has been dragging on for years and has shown a capacity to draw a few hundred angry people out to a public meeting.

Given those two common elements, a referendum on selling PDI (Peterborough Distribution Inc., the official name of the wires and poles side of Peterborough Utility Inc.) would complete the trifecta.

However, a referendum is unlikely. Coun. Riel admitted his half-hearted call to have PDI added as a ballot question in the coming October municipal election was mostly about grabbing headlines and venting frustration.

Which is appropriate. City councils have treated past referendum results as inconsequential because that’s the treatment they deserve. An inconsequential attempt to rally support for another one fits the history.

The first problem with referendum results is that the provincial government says they have no legal clout unless voter turnout is 50 per cent or higher.

Back in 1995, 65 per cent of ballots cast opposed a casino but voter turnout was well below the required threshold. In 2003, 55 per cent opposed The Parkway (without the Jackson Park bridge) but again too few people voted to make the result binding.

In fact, no city election in at least 50 years has reached 50-per-cent turnout. Referendums are, in that light, just another public opinion poll.

City councils have shown themselves willing to ignore those opinions. The Parkway was “defeated” in a referendum and two months later the city council of the day rejected two separate attempts to pull it out of Peterborough’s Official Plan.

The casino referendum was held when the province was looking for a home for a slots operation. Peterborough said “no,” Cavan-Monaghan Twp. said “yes” and the Slots at Kawartha Downs was born.

Years later, when a real casino was on the table to replace the slots, Peterborough city council shrugged off the old referendum result and said “yes.”

Interestingly, some city politicians who were dead set against the Slots had changed their minds after watching millions of dollars flow to the township from a gambling operation city residents could drive to in 15 minutes.

Their admission that the wrong decision was made on the Slots was also an admission that public opinion is not necessarily the best measure of what is best for the public.

In October, a mayor and 10 councillors will be elected. For the following four years, they should be left to do the voting.