Dan's campaigning has started and on your dime?

[CTF]

When he gets elected, and trust me when I say , many many Pentictonites are wishing him every success, Dan will be a small fish in a big pond .

Thankfully, he will in all likelihood be a member of the loyal opposition, and as such will be restricted as to how much "input" (read damage) he can inflict on the BC electorate.

Sadly the people of Penticton will not have the true representation they deserve, but hey, we all have to make sacrifices for the better good........

So your definition of representation is all about what you want. Democracy means majority rules and if Ashton wins he does so as a majority of people will have voted for him. Not everyone supports increased taxes and spending. Ashton has shown he is one of the few mayors who can resist the tax and spend approach that is so favoured by New Democrats. There are actually some of us who appreciate lower taxes and will vote accordingly.

[krocky]

Ashton has shown he is one of the few mayors who can resist the tax and spend approach that is so favoured by New Democrats. There are actually some of us who appreciate lower taxes and will vote accordingly.

Here is where it all goes wrong. It would be nice if it actually worked the way you suggest. However, it will only help us, that he does not believe in the tax & spend approach, if that belief "aligns" with what the leader and a few hand picked officials of the party believe. What is far more likely, as he is the Liberal nominee and they have proven that reducing taxes to all but corporations is not their priority, that he will find himself voting for HIGHER taxes (HST) etc.etc. or be facing party dicipline.

The question in my mind is, is he the "right" person to stand up to the party when he does not align with them or will he simply fall into line to save his job, as most of his predecessors have done in the past.

[cutypi]

the answer in my mind is NO

[CTF]

Where's XT .. this should get him stirred up! It hasn't taken Dan Ashton long to put on his "I'm running for the Liberal's smile" and start getting out into the rural areas. Check this out from MyNaramata.com:

http://www.mynaramata.com/show3584a/Pol ... Hot_Water_

Friends in Naramata tell me they haven't seen Ashton in their part of the woods forever, then all of sudden - BAM there he is.

Twobits and Glassmaster ... back off before you even start. Is he really doing his job as head of RDOS or is he simply taking advantage of a new photo op? Hummm .. interpretation time I'd say. I say we should keep a running total of all the Dan Ashton photos and print/electronic stories involving him from now till the election. I think most will be surprised just how much press one individual can get.

Haven't seen today's Okanagan Saturday yet but would be willing to bet there has to be an Ashton photo, story or both in it.

I found this article online from Keremeos....

Keremeos Review

Liberal candidate is a Similkameen ally

By Staff Writer

The B.C. Liberal party recently nominated present Mayor of Penticton / Regional District Okanagan - Similkameen Chair Dan Ashton to be the party's candidate in the Penticton riding.

Ashton won the four way contest between himself,? Summerland Mayor Janice Perrino, Penticton businessman Mark Ziebarth and past president of the BC School Trustees? Connie Denesiuk on October 20.

The party's selection was undoubtably a difficult one to make, given the high calibre of candidates listed above.

We are comfortable with the choice they made, however, based on Ashton's track record in the region.

As a regional politician, Ashton has probably maintained the highest profile of any regional politician for being accessible to Similkameen residents. He has a history of making himself available to Similkameen events that is worthy of note.

As an example, one could look at last week's Olalla town hall meeting, held at 11a.m. on Saturday at the Elks Hall in Keremeos.

Even though he was not an official part of the proceeding, Ashton took the time to be there, making himself available to the public and regional district staff who were conducting the meeting.

He was also present at the last Olalla town hall meeting in September, a more spirited affair that, incidentally, was attended by double the number of residents that were present at Saturday's meeting.
Should Ashton be elected next spring, he won't be representing the Similkameen in Victoria. It's good to know, nonetheless, that we'll have at least two representatives in the provincial capital that have done their homework, and have a good working knowledge of what the Similkameen and its residents are all about.

Note the part where it points out that Ashton made a point of attending RDOS meetings LONG before he was a candidate. Fact is the guy actually works hard at the job otherwise the other RDOS directors would not continue to re-lect him as the chair. The hate on some of you have for Ashton is unreal.

[CTF]

Here is where it all goes wrong. It would be nice if it actually worked the way you suggest. However, it will only help us, that he does not believe in the tax & spend approach, if that belief "aligns" with what the leader and a few hand picked officials of the party believe. What is far more likely, as he is the Liberal nominee and they have proven that reducing taxes to all but corporations is not their priority, that he will find himself voting for HIGHER taxes (HST) etc.etc. or be facing party dicipline.

The question in my mind is, is he the "right" person to stand up to the party when he does not align with them or will he simply fall into line to save his job, as most of his predecessors have done in the past.

If what you say is true then how did B.C.’s lowest tax bracket on low income earners become the lowest in Canada ? Meanwhile B.C. highest income tax bracket is not the lowest in Canada The fact is the lowest income tax brackets were lowered far more then the higher tax brackets in B.C.

Yes, it is also true that corporate tax brackets were also decreased. The NDP says they will raise the corporate tax rates just as they did last time they were in power.

I understand the point you are making about an individual MLA and will they oppose a leader but given that in this case lower taxes seems supported by both Ashton and the party he is running for so this would seem a non issue in this case.