Marchand scores points but falls short of the goal
Mayor Drew Dilkens should learn to work with people. Little things, like clean sidewalks, matter. And why doesn’t council want an auditor general? Mayoral candidate Matt Marchand scored some points in the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce debate Wednesday. But he needed to convince the sold-out audience to take a second look at him, and he didn’t. “Please, look at his plan. It doesn’t make sense,” Mayor Drew Dilkens urged the audience. He’s been mayor for four years. He has some real accomplishments. He should have looked mayoral. Instead, he seemed like a bully at times, defensive at times and disingenuous several times. Marchand played what sets him apart. Asked to describe his leadership style, he touted his willingness to collaborate with people. As chamber CEO, he collaborated with labour on major issues like an auto strategy. Interestingly, asked about outsourcing city jobs, Marchand, who was endorsed by the labour council and Unifor Local 444, didn’t say no. He dodged the question.
His experience as chamber president was evident in his answer to attracting jobs and investment and diversifying the economy. We still need an auto strategy. We need to train more people for skilled jobs that employers can’t fill. We need public transit to get people to jobs in the county that employers can’t fill. And we need a more livable community. We learned that when we joined Detroit to bid for Amazon’s second North American headquarters.
But, oddly, asked how he would help small business, he said simply, cut red tape — the boilerplate answer.
Marchand recognizes that little things matter. A cleaner, more attractive city? Power wash the sidewalks. Seriously. We’ve spent millions to revitalize downtown, but the sidewalks are often foul. He promised to appoint an auditor general, something Dilkens opposes, within 100 days. “Why is there such resistance to that?” Marchand rightly asked.
He should have pounded it. Dilkens said AGs cost money. Marchand should have said they save money, by improving government.
Marchand is open to progressive ideas, something the current council isn’t known for. Windsor is always “behind the curve,” he said, alluding to that. Too bad he didn’t talk about some of what he supports, from protected bike lanes to micro grants for small neighbourhood projects.
He’s also the only candidate who has targeted the high number of children living in poverty. But there was only a reference to that.
Dilkens opened the debate, moderated by Star managing editor Craig Pearson, by attacking Marchand for his role as an adviser to former mayor Mike Hurst, blaming Marchand for the Canderel Building fiasco, the MFP leasing scandal, taxes and debt. But Marchand didn’t make the decisions.
Last week, Dilkens implied Marchand is a novice, saying the mayor’s office is “no place to cut your teeth.” Which is it? He should have attacked Marchand more effectively for his current economic plan. He just kept telling people to read it online. He should have said much of the $227 million in spending Marchand says he’ll save or redirect is incorrect, doesn’t exist or is extrapolated from other cities. Dilkens could have spent most of his time touting his record — a downtown revitalization strategy that has drawn $60 million in investment, including the stunning refurbishing of the old Fish Market, record investments in roads, a new sewer master plan, an infusion of public art, new libraries, another new pool and minimal tax increases.
But he was also disingenuous. He said he collaborated with city council. Council is divided, and those who disagree with Dilkens are chastised.
He cited new alley lights downtown. But it was Coun. Rino Bortolin, the Downtown Business Improvement Association, neighbourhood groups and residents who fought for them. The city housed 250 homeless people, Dilkens said. The city’s outreach workers did that. City staff recommended hiring three more this year. Council approved one. He also referred to labour as “special interests.” He should remember that Unifor negotiated some of the biggest investments in the city in its last contracts.
Finally, would the candidates raise taxes? What does Dilkens’ mantra — “hold the line on taxes” — mean? Marchand asked. That’s a good question, said observer Daniel Ableser. Originally, it meant freezing taxes. Now it means limiting increases to below inflation. What if inflation spikes? It’s also keeping increas- es below those in other cities. Marchand says he’s clear. He’ll increase taxes one per cent. Again, what if inflation rises to three per cent? Will he cut services?
Like the campaign, it wasn’t the debate it could have been. Twelve days before the election, after some people have already cast their ballots in advance polls, few are likely to change their votes.