Trevor Castiglione
Good morning, good afternoon or good evening Orangeville, My name is
TREVOR CASTIGLIONE and I am running for Deputy Mayor.
I have lived in the great town of Orangeville for over 40 years. Many things have drastically changed over the past 40 years. I have owned, managed and operated several businesses in this time. I am very involved in our community with things such as Toys for Tots, food drives and holiday dinners for seniors where we make sure that seniors have a home cooked meal for each major holiday. All of these have been greatly affected by covid. I believe in supporting local charities and help fundraise for many events throughout the year. I am a business owner and taxpayer just like you. I am hard working and dedicated to helping people. I also tell it like it is and am a no-nonsense kind of person. One issue that really stands out for me is Hansen Boulevard between Blind Line to Veteran’s Way, it’s a serious public safety concern, one way in one way out, residents have been waiting for this to open for years and this last council still does not have it open. MUCH more needs to be done about this and more then soon ! All members of this last council but one voted NOT to open and remove barricades and let traffic threw onto College Avenue , Police, fire service, and paramedics were consulted on the opening of College Avenue and supported removing the barricades. All three of them indicated a preference to having it open, especially ambulance. Even town staff have indicated “College Avenue has lots of capacity for traffic, safety measures would have to run in conjunction with College Avenue’s opening”. It’s a temporary fix YES until Hansen is complete and we need to hold Cachet Developments to much faster completion of the road. I believe in standing up for what is right and fair. We have had growth in the residential sector however industry in town has been on a decline over the years causing a financial burden on the residential taxpayers.
Many businesses have come and gone, that needs to change. We need to find ways to stabilize our economic development to help offset the taxes for our residents. We need to help promote our existing businesses to enhance their growth and prosperity to increase employment and show future industry that we encourage and support growth within our town. Instead of hindering our current businesses we need to promote and help them maximize their potential. Business attraction and retention are crucial to Orangeville. With Wightmans construction of the fibre network throughout Orangeville fiber connectivity will help businesses grow and become more productive. Communities with robust municipal fiber networks have a better chance of attracting new businesses, especially in high-tech industries. High-speed internet access is an attractive option for someone to be able to work from home, especially as more employers start operating out of “cloud” based networks. Positioning our community for the future demands of technology could be crucial to staying resilient. I truly believe we are at a critical point in Orangeville, should COVID-19 outbreaks persist, should restrictions be reintroduced, or should disruptions to economic activity happen again, a inflation-driven recession could be unprecedented. The fiscal challenges facing Orangeville won’t be addressed through any single measure. Orangeville cannot print money like our prime minister or run a deficit. We all have had to devote a greater share of income to essentials and the increase in the prices of essential goods and services therefore affects all of our quality of life. Cutting budgets alone will not necessarily save us money, we need to find cost-savings, we need efficiency reviews of all departments. Running a lean local municipality does not mean cutting all kinds of programs or public services we need to prioritize our needs and find cost saving across the board. We need to change our mentality from “wants” to what is fiscally necessary.
I have a no- nonsense and outspoken manner about me, I am motivated, passionate and I say it the way it is I don’t play around. I have uncompromising leadership style, a take-no-prisoners bluntness. I like to acquire all the facts and information so that I can make an informed decision. I believe in standing up and voicing my concerns when all the information isn’t being put forward and when something doesn’t seem right making sure that all the facts are heard and listening to the people truly listening. Politicians can’t win. No matter who they are, they will always face criticism from the electorate and those who couldn’t be bothered to vote. Politics is one realm where it seems everyone has a strong opinion. It takes a lot of courage and a thick skin to run for office. It’s not an easy job and it’s not for everyone. Ordinary people like myself want serve the public if elected office to make things better for their neighbors, friends, families and communities. Elected public office is a rewarding exercise for anyone who is bold enough and committed enough to want to serve the public as I am.
THE VOICE WE DESERVE.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votetrevorcastiglionedeputymayor
Email: mailto:[email protected]