Citizens for Direct Democracy
Charter of Democratic Rights
(2) A council, or parliament, exists only to implement the will of the people. It is an open forum for discussion, and problem solving, in the search for the best method of implementing the will of the people.
Party politics promotes illogical, partisan, decisions, based on a preconceived ideology.
(3) Governing bodies must use the best business practices. Their staff numbers, salaries, benefits, and working conditions, may match, but not exceed, the average for similar bodies in the private sector.
Senior Public Servants have become an economic elite. Their salaries, benefits, pensions, working conditions, and job security, are the envy of the taxpayers who foot their bills. A bureaucracy expands until it consumes all available funds.
(4) The bottom-line budget for governments is determined by what the people are prepared to pay in taxes. That amount is determined by a referendum.
Governments see the public as a bottomless pit of money. All governmental fiscal problems may be solved by raising taxes, reducing services, creating levies, closing facilities, and increasing debt. This must stop. Decisions by referendum are made following a full, and open, public debate. Staff have a vested interest in the outcome. Conflict of interest rules apply.
(5) All taxation must be used only to provide direct legitimate government services.
Governments re-direct tax money to charities, NGOs, not-for profit organizations, agencies, and other organizations that have, in many cases turned out to be scams.
(6) All financial transactions, of any kind whatsoever, will be downloaded to the internet, in real time, as read-only documents for public access.
All monies, properties, and assets, are owned by the people. Governments, at all levels, have no product, and no income. Our employees in government handled our affairs in a way similar to an investment agency. Thus all transactions; salaries, benefits, purchases, sales, rentals, contracts, etc. must be available to the people, at all times, in a complete, and absolutely transparent manner.
www.citizensfordirectdemocracy.ca/
Charter of Democratic Rights
- Democracy means that every person may vote on every important issue.
(2) A council, or parliament, exists only to implement the will of the people. It is an open forum for discussion, and problem solving, in the search for the best method of implementing the will of the people.
Party politics promotes illogical, partisan, decisions, based on a preconceived ideology.
(3) Governing bodies must use the best business practices. Their staff numbers, salaries, benefits, and working conditions, may match, but not exceed, the average for similar bodies in the private sector.
Senior Public Servants have become an economic elite. Their salaries, benefits, pensions, working conditions, and job security, are the envy of the taxpayers who foot their bills. A bureaucracy expands until it consumes all available funds.
(4) The bottom-line budget for governments is determined by what the people are prepared to pay in taxes. That amount is determined by a referendum.
Governments see the public as a bottomless pit of money. All governmental fiscal problems may be solved by raising taxes, reducing services, creating levies, closing facilities, and increasing debt. This must stop. Decisions by referendum are made following a full, and open, public debate. Staff have a vested interest in the outcome. Conflict of interest rules apply.
(5) All taxation must be used only to provide direct legitimate government services.
Governments re-direct tax money to charities, NGOs, not-for profit organizations, agencies, and other organizations that have, in many cases turned out to be scams.
(6) All financial transactions, of any kind whatsoever, will be downloaded to the internet, in real time, as read-only documents for public access.
All monies, properties, and assets, are owned by the people. Governments, at all levels, have no product, and no income. Our employees in government handled our affairs in a way similar to an investment agency. Thus all transactions; salaries, benefits, purchases, sales, rentals, contracts, etc. must be available to the people, at all times, in a complete, and absolutely transparent manner.
www.citizensfordirectdemocracy.ca/
The Roadmap for Change
The C4DD Municipal Government Transition Process
Many people have asked what, and how, will things change under a direct democracy, as envisaged by the Citizens for Direct Democracy {C4DD}. The following draft plan outlines the important steps.
DECENTRALIZATION
The key to direct democracy is to have small communities, each responding directly to their own unique needs. Strength lies in diversity.
1. Each councilor will be assigned to two adjacent wards – the wards being defined as of January 2017. These pairs of wards correspond closely to the 8 new wards adopted by council. The councilor will have the rank of Acting Reeve (AR).
2. Each of the pairs of wards will then elect an Assistant Acting Reeve. (ARR). The AR, and ARR, should not both be from the same former ward.
3. The AR, and ARR, will establish the principles of Direct Democracy in their wards by:
a) Forming volunteer groups to monitor the infrastructure of road, bridges, culverts, shorelines, and other items that fall under the general heading of civil engineering.
b) Forming volunteer groups to monitor parks, and cemeteries.
c) Forming volunteer groups to monitor the use, and condition, of recreational facilities.
d) To arrange with council for the funding of the material needs of the monitoring groups.
e) To hold open meetings each week in their wards, at a time convenient to the electorate. These meetings will involve sharing information, discussing local concerns, and formulating long term local plans.
4. Point (3) will require the opening of local community offices as per the Victoria County model. Some of the lower echelon employees at the City offices will be deployed back to the community offices. They will provide direct services to the people; dog tags, collect taxes, fire permits, building permits etc. They will also provide secretarial, and research services, to the groups under (3)
The first step in this process is the formation of satellite administrations within the city. The movement of this unit to the ward will be a seamless transition.
5. At this stage mid-term elections would be held for councilors in each ward.. At that time the former ARs, and AARs, would become the official Reeves of their respective local municipalities.
Restructuring the Staffing Model
Decentralization will make the upper echelons in the current model irrelevant. They proved to be extremely expensive at a time when services decreased, taxes increased, facilities were closed, and political decisions were pre-fabricated by staff.
1) Freeze all salaries.
2) Do not renew any contracts. Brand new contracts will be created that permit a wider use of the employee’s abilities.
3) Ban all consultative services. Employees who cannot fulfil the job requirements will be down-graded.
4) The engineering department will be eliminated. It will be replaced by:-
(a) Roads Foremen – as in the former Victoria County. They will be assigned to the satellite administrations of the various wards.
(b) The tender process, with full involvement of Council, supported by volunteer experts from the community.
5) The total size, cost, and salaries of the staff bureaucracy will be established by comparison with similar organizations in the private sector.
6) The highest ranking administrator will be the City Manager, who carries out the directives from the Mayor’s Office.
7) Council members will have direct access to any member of staff. This will ‘flatten’ the bureaucracy, and eliminate the hierarchical structure that is expensive, and inefficient.
8) All staff are the employees of the taxpayer. Citizens may ask employees direct questions about the work they are doing. Written comments about city employees will form part of the annual staff review.
9) The total budget, and budget priorities decisions, will be made by the public at large, by a referendum process.
10) All interactions with the public, by emails, letters, phone calls, or in person will be tracked, timed, and costed.
11) All correspondents will be invited to submit comments regarding their dealings with the city, as per Bell. These comments will form part of the employees record.
Direct Voting
All major decisions will be made by referendum. Most people have internet accounts for banking, Facebook, and so on. Voting via the telephone, or internet, requires that a person has an ‘identity’, and a ‘password’. This process is gaining popularity throughout the world. This system will be used in the municipal elections in 2018. Once in place the system may be used for government by direct democracy.
People who are unfamiliar with modern technology will be able to vote at local libraries, with the assistance of the librarian, or by the traditional ballot box.
Upper Tier
There are a few areas which impact all local communities. These include requirements by the province, major roads, policing, drainage issues, and so on. The upper tier, known formerly as Victoria County, would address these matters. The ARs, and AARs, would form this Council.
It is expected that the Council of Reeves would meet each month to discuss an agenda that is strictly limited to matters relevant to the whole of Victoria County.
The C4DD Municipal Government Transition Process
Many people have asked what, and how, will things change under a direct democracy, as envisaged by the Citizens for Direct Democracy {C4DD}. The following draft plan outlines the important steps.
DECENTRALIZATION
The key to direct democracy is to have small communities, each responding directly to their own unique needs. Strength lies in diversity.
1. Each councilor will be assigned to two adjacent wards – the wards being defined as of January 2017. These pairs of wards correspond closely to the 8 new wards adopted by council. The councilor will have the rank of Acting Reeve (AR).
2. Each of the pairs of wards will then elect an Assistant Acting Reeve. (ARR). The AR, and ARR, should not both be from the same former ward.
3. The AR, and ARR, will establish the principles of Direct Democracy in their wards by:
a) Forming volunteer groups to monitor the infrastructure of road, bridges, culverts, shorelines, and other items that fall under the general heading of civil engineering.
b) Forming volunteer groups to monitor parks, and cemeteries.
c) Forming volunteer groups to monitor the use, and condition, of recreational facilities.
d) To arrange with council for the funding of the material needs of the monitoring groups.
e) To hold open meetings each week in their wards, at a time convenient to the electorate. These meetings will involve sharing information, discussing local concerns, and formulating long term local plans.
4. Point (3) will require the opening of local community offices as per the Victoria County model. Some of the lower echelon employees at the City offices will be deployed back to the community offices. They will provide direct services to the people; dog tags, collect taxes, fire permits, building permits etc. They will also provide secretarial, and research services, to the groups under (3)
The first step in this process is the formation of satellite administrations within the city. The movement of this unit to the ward will be a seamless transition.
5. At this stage mid-term elections would be held for councilors in each ward.. At that time the former ARs, and AARs, would become the official Reeves of their respective local municipalities.
Restructuring the Staffing Model
Decentralization will make the upper echelons in the current model irrelevant. They proved to be extremely expensive at a time when services decreased, taxes increased, facilities were closed, and political decisions were pre-fabricated by staff.
1) Freeze all salaries.
2) Do not renew any contracts. Brand new contracts will be created that permit a wider use of the employee’s abilities.
3) Ban all consultative services. Employees who cannot fulfil the job requirements will be down-graded.
4) The engineering department will be eliminated. It will be replaced by:-
(a) Roads Foremen – as in the former Victoria County. They will be assigned to the satellite administrations of the various wards.
(b) The tender process, with full involvement of Council, supported by volunteer experts from the community.
5) The total size, cost, and salaries of the staff bureaucracy will be established by comparison with similar organizations in the private sector.
6) The highest ranking administrator will be the City Manager, who carries out the directives from the Mayor’s Office.
7) Council members will have direct access to any member of staff. This will ‘flatten’ the bureaucracy, and eliminate the hierarchical structure that is expensive, and inefficient.
8) All staff are the employees of the taxpayer. Citizens may ask employees direct questions about the work they are doing. Written comments about city employees will form part of the annual staff review.
9) The total budget, and budget priorities decisions, will be made by the public at large, by a referendum process.
10) All interactions with the public, by emails, letters, phone calls, or in person will be tracked, timed, and costed.
11) All correspondents will be invited to submit comments regarding their dealings with the city, as per Bell. These comments will form part of the employees record.
Direct Voting
All major decisions will be made by referendum. Most people have internet accounts for banking, Facebook, and so on. Voting via the telephone, or internet, requires that a person has an ‘identity’, and a ‘password’. This process is gaining popularity throughout the world. This system will be used in the municipal elections in 2018. Once in place the system may be used for government by direct democracy.
People who are unfamiliar with modern technology will be able to vote at local libraries, with the assistance of the librarian, or by the traditional ballot box.
Upper Tier
There are a few areas which impact all local communities. These include requirements by the province, major roads, policing, drainage issues, and so on. The upper tier, known formerly as Victoria County, would address these matters. The ARs, and AARs, would form this Council.
It is expected that the Council of Reeves would meet each month to discuss an agenda that is strictly limited to matters relevant to the whole of Victoria County.
Stepping Stones to a Better Municipality.
Citizens for Direct Democracy Will:
1. End front-end loading of water/sewer bills. Front Loading: The annual base charge is $479 before a drop of water is used.
2. Lobby the government for the same with hydro bills.
3. Completely re-organise the office structure, and procedure’s
4. Flat-line the Staff Hierarchy.
5. Re-deploy staff to form a Citizens Advocacy Department.{CAD}
that will directly process permits, Crown Land Patents applications, and other matters on behalf of citizens.
6. Empower employees to act independently.
7. Ban the practice of flow-through accounting.
8. Move all CAO responsibilities to the Mayor’s Office.
9. Re-deploy staff so that each Councillor has an executive secretary.
10. Reclassify Staff as Office Workers.
11. Freeze COKL taxpayer revenues. This will decrease property taxes.
12. Create a citizens committee to handle FOI requests.
13. Respect property rights. Help citizens get a Crown Land Patent.
14. Hold Council Meetings in the evening.
15. Employ referendums.
16. Change the oath of office to include the duty to implement the wishes of the people.
17. Create a large stratified data base, that can be sampled quickly, and randomly, to get a sense of the taxpayers’ feeling on any issue.
18. Create a blog site for each important issue, so that taxpayers’ can contribute easily to the discussion that are so vital to true democracy.
19. Ban the sale of public property.
20. Put lifestyle as a top priority in all decisions.
21. Demand that Councillors make a full disclosure of all business connections, rather than recuse themselves from certain debates. {Conflict of interest}
22. We will have an open doors policy to replace opacity with transparency.
23. Petitions will be debated by Council; not passed on to Staff.
24. We will support the anti-quarry movement.
25. We will base decisions on science, not business pressures.
26. Peter, as Mayor, will, as a first order of business, remove the door from his office. That is transparency.
27. Reward employees who find ways to reduce organizational complexity.
28. Put a moratorium on the beach park development in Bobcaygeon until a referendum has been held
Citizens for Direct Democracy Will:
1. End front-end loading of water/sewer bills. Front Loading: The annual base charge is $479 before a drop of water is used.
2. Lobby the government for the same with hydro bills.
3. Completely re-organise the office structure, and procedure’s
4. Flat-line the Staff Hierarchy.
5. Re-deploy staff to form a Citizens Advocacy Department.{CAD}
that will directly process permits, Crown Land Patents applications, and other matters on behalf of citizens.
6. Empower employees to act independently.
7. Ban the practice of flow-through accounting.
8. Move all CAO responsibilities to the Mayor’s Office.
9. Re-deploy staff so that each Councillor has an executive secretary.
10. Reclassify Staff as Office Workers.
11. Freeze COKL taxpayer revenues. This will decrease property taxes.
12. Create a citizens committee to handle FOI requests.
13. Respect property rights. Help citizens get a Crown Land Patent.
14. Hold Council Meetings in the evening.
15. Employ referendums.
16. Change the oath of office to include the duty to implement the wishes of the people.
17. Create a large stratified data base, that can be sampled quickly, and randomly, to get a sense of the taxpayers’ feeling on any issue.
18. Create a blog site for each important issue, so that taxpayers’ can contribute easily to the discussion that are so vital to true democracy.
19. Ban the sale of public property.
20. Put lifestyle as a top priority in all decisions.
21. Demand that Councillors make a full disclosure of all business connections, rather than recuse themselves from certain debates. {Conflict of interest}
22. We will have an open doors policy to replace opacity with transparency.
23. Petitions will be debated by Council; not passed on to Staff.
24. We will support the anti-quarry movement.
25. We will base decisions on science, not business pressures.
26. Peter, as Mayor, will, as a first order of business, remove the door from his office. That is transparency.
27. Reward employees who find ways to reduce organizational complexity.
28. Put a moratorium on the beach park development in Bobcaygeon until a referendum has been held
