Derrick Rabethge

Please describe one concrete policy, program, or decision you would support to address both encampments and permanent housing.candidate's own words

Allocating or converting buildings not currently being used by the city into temporary shelters and places to house people may be a quick and easy solution to start with. However I think strong and enforcement of both encampments and shelter rules should be enforced. Not allowing the use of drugs and other illegal behaviour to occur. We cant continue to allow encampments to take over public spaces and cause Safety and health risks to the community. While also causing damage, fear, and degrading of the business's around encampments. We can make fair, compassionate, choices but may also require some tough love for many of these people within these encampments. Drugs and Mental illness aren't easy to combat but this has been adversely affecting the public for years now and something must be done.

Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on housing?candidate's own words

A lack of housing as well as affordability is a current issue in our region. which has not been helped by the water issue that is causing less housing to be built and approved. The city is being mis-managed and it is time for new perspectives at the city in order to get some of these fundamental issues fixed and moved forward.

• Maintain current street design standards
• Adjust signal timing, curb use, or intersection design, Focus improvements around schools, transit corridors, and commercial areas

1. Prioritize expanding coverage area
2. Prioritize maximizing operational efficiency
3. Invest in rapid transit to anchor growth
4. Prioritize lower-cost or incremental transit improvements
5. Use transit to shape land use

Yes, but roads should take priority; sidewalks cleared after

No, maintain the current fare structure

Please name one specific street, corridor, or project where you would prioritize these changes.candidate's own words

In Ward 2 during the last election there was alot of issues outside of Chicpoee Hill school, some things have been done to fix that issue but I am sure more could be done. A walking path was promised to them when the school was first being designed and that has yet to be implemented. I also think that future planning should consider where they are putting schools around or near regional roads to assure the safety of students and the broader school community as a whole. The new highschool in Ward 2 may start to run into some road way issues but it opens in a week so time will tell what may need to be done there.

1. Promote and support low-barrier spaces for local producers to distribute and sell food
2. Encourage and support local landowners to rent to newcomer farmers
3. Develop a local food strategy, including research on how land-use change affects the food system
4. Partner with other levels of government to develop local food hubs that reduce costs and barriers for small businesses
5. Leave local food livelihoods to the private market

1. Proceed with outward growth to address housing supply
2. Use development phasing tied to infrastructure capacity
3. Prioritize infill and intensification where infrastructure
4. Require detailed cost and risk analysis before approving
5. Limit outward growth unless full lifecycle infrastructure

Describe one concrete zoning, planning, or development decision you would support (or oppose) that reflects how you would balance these priorities.candidate's own words

I think that we need more housing and 4 story or less high rise construction is fine in local neighborhoods. I don't think in many of Kitchener neighborhoods we should have large high-rises. A few downtown in alright but I think a lot of residents enjoy a lower skyline. Consulting and discussion with local neighborhoods is important. An example there was a planned expansion on the field Infront of Chicopee Hill School there was going to be a large residential building put in there with commercial outlets on the bottom level. I think something like that in that area would be a mistake and the city has to do a better job of not just planning the city but consulting the residents.

What can the municipality/region do, if anything, about land which sits vacant for years because it is being used as an investment (land banking)?candidate's own words

The city could put a Tax on prime development land to incentivize owners to develop and or sell the land to someone who is willing to develop it. I would be open to that but would need to look into the impact of the policy further.

It should be more transparent and accessible

Please describe one concrete example of a trade-off you would support (or oppose) when costs rise faster than revenues.candidate's own words

I am a fiscal hawk and in this current economical crisis it is important that the municipality of Kitchener does not over burden or Tax its current citizens in a way to help with the cost of living. I would heavily side with pouring through the books and the budget and finding ways to cost cut and eliminate wasteful spending, as well as programs that are not hitting their intended targets and or fulfilling their cost/benefit analysis. It should not be a an accepted view that taxes should just have to go up 5%, 10%, whatever % every year just because council doesn't want to go through the arduous process of eliminating waste and or frivolous programs on the books to be able to maintain current taxation levels or even cut taxes what a novel idea.

If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words

Residents are the taxpayers and they should have full access to every cent spent at the city as well as at the region and it should be much more readily available and easier to see and understand. This will avoid shortfalls, money getting lost, corruption and many other fiscal management issues. This also would allow the citizenry the ability to see exactly where their money is being spent and if Taxation is justified based on expenditures.