Lack of forward thinking is frightening

Editor:
In response to last week’s comments by Mr. Wiggins on Premier Ford.
The Ontario government recently published the differences in pay levels for public servants versus that of those in the private sector that confirmed what many of us already suspected.
The average private sector Ontario worker’s salary in 2017 is now 33.6 per cent lower than the salary for the average Ontario public sector employee.
The average public sector salary is $63,856, with the equivalent private sector average wage of $47,807 a difference of $16,049 per worker. (Source – Statscan Labour Force Survey December microdata).
Imagine how much of the current government expenditures (and interest) could be saved by Mr. Ford if he simply brought public sector salaries into line with the private sector!
As an example, if the wage bill for Clearview Township was brought into line with the private sector, each taxpaying household in Clearview would see a reduction of around $275 per year for property taxes based on the $1.710 million annual savings just in the Clearview. Even more would be saved with the commensurate reductions in the Simcoe County wage bills which also form part of the municipal property tax load.
The lack of forward thinking in Premier Fords government is frightening. Eliminating environmentally beneficial tree planting, firing teachers, increasing class sizes and reducing benefits for the less fortunate in this province yet concentrating on “questionable priorities” such as ensuring that low cost beer is available on every street corner and the bloated and verifiably overpaid “civil service” remains untouched seems to be the “highlights” of his agenda .
Here’s a “forward thinking idea” for Premier Ford to pick up and run with that would impact a number of concerning facets of this provinces future and help get Prime Minister Trudeau off his back with regard to CO2reductions:
Anyone who has had to drive along Mapleview Drive in Barrie would have to agree that with unsynchronised traffic signals almost every 100 metres that the pollution from idling engines and waiting costs to road users are horrendous.
In Ontario we have some of the “smartest” innovators in the world, so why doesn’t Premier Ford promote the Ontario development of “smart traffic controller software and hardware” capable of speeding up the flow of traffic while at the same time cutting pollution? Innovation such as this could put Ontario front and centre with core technology that can be readily sold elsewhere in the world and provide environmental and time conservation at the same time.
Peter Lomath,
Creemore.