2026 AN ELECTION YEAR..

2026 AN ELECTION YEAR.. By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers It has been four years since the last election. How has your life improved? Did you make the right choices back in 2022? Has the quality of life for you and your family improved? The other day in conversation with a very good friend of mine. He asked. “How would Oshawa been different if you had won in 2022?” Well, I can tell you that today. My conscious would have been cleared.  That I would have taken care of all those in need. That our streets would be free of crime and the homeless. I bring to question everyone sitting at City of Oshawa council how they can put their heads to rest every night knowing people are sleeping on our sidewalks. They should all do the honorable and resign.... but then.... What is expected. We elect people with no real life experience. No real business sense. Limited intellectual aptitude. You get what you get. People that become numb to reality and only care about cushioning their pensions and or a weekly pay check that they would not be able to obtain if not elected. Just look at where most of those former politicians end up working? Or look at where they have been working.... Not even close in responsibility and or pay. If you recall. During my candidacy, I had made it public that I would not be taking a penny in renumeration until I rid our core of crime, drugs and the homeless. I had also made it public that I would have cut wasteful expenses and un-necessary projects like the 30 million wasted on the ‘ED Broadbent’ park. There was no need to put a park next to a park. I would have not wasted 70 million of your hard earned tax dollars on investing on the what we know best as the GM Center. I would have not wasted 30 million on the outdoor Rotary pool. I would have surely not wasted another 10 million on the downtown Oshawa ‘Veterans’ Park. These major announced waste of taxpayer money. Sums up to about 140 million. This all money that could have gone to better the quality of life for all taxpayers. No instead what do we have to show for it? Tax increases, year after year. Crime at an all time high. People being shot and stabbed all over Oshawa. Our downtown core looking like some third world country. I know what you are thinking... Ok, Joe. How would you have handled the homeless and crime problem. Simple, With 140 I would have save from not going forth with the project we have. I would have searched for the larges empty warehouse we have. Possibly one of GM former complexes. I would be interested in a 400,000 sq. ft plus. I would have retro, so that it would be able to have four features. 1. It would bring people from the cold. A screening place where people cold sleep, shower and eat. Anyone on our streets or living in tents would be brought there. Once there they would be assessed. If in need of mental health. They get moved in the same building to an area dedicated to mental health. With paid professionals out of the 140 million wasted. Those that needed jobs and a chance at life. We would move them to the third part of the facility. There they be given a job through the city... Or at the facility. We would implement a garbage squad program where they would get paid to clean up our city. We would create work programs for all kinds of disciplines.... Those with families would be moved to the fourth part of the facility. A place where you could raise a family based on a program that would promote building character through special programs that would assist those families in need. Anyone caught using drugs would be arrested and banned from Oshawa. Anyone with a substance abuse would get treatment. We need to give these folks hope. We need to be pro-active. We need to rid our streets of crime due to desperation. Crime is an animal of desperation not so much of choice. Those that actually choose crime. The police will deal with them. Change can come you have to wonder. Remember 2026 is your chance to make real choice and clean your City.