Financial squeeze coming - and it won't be because of the tax bill.

By Pepper Parr

August 22, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.
There is a squeeze coming.

For the past two weeks the United Way has served as the donation point for disaster relief fund raising. The United Way offered their services immediately, with a bit of a nudge from Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon who was at one time a senior vice President with the national office of the United Way in Ottawa. McMahon knew what United Way had in terms of technology and the ability to handle a large number of donations in a short period of time.

So far the community had donated more than $130,000 to the Disaster Relief fund through the United Way.

There might be fewer Friends of Freeman Station sold in the next while.

However, come September the 11th – the United Way will be kicking of their 2014-15 campaign and they are concerned about some confusion being created in the minds of donours – is money being sent in going to the United Way campaign or to the Disaster relief program?

The sense seems to be that the Disaster Relief Committee will be setting up a funds collection point of their own.

Burlington will then be faced with a United Way Campaign; the Disaster Relief Campaign along with the Joseph Brant $60 million campaign for the building of the hospital additions.

Will the Joseph Brant Foundation suspend their drive for six months to allow the Disaster Relief people collect what they need?

The Friends of Freeman Station have a fund raising drive going on and the political parties are in the process of fattening up their coffers for the federal election in 2015.

Burlington is going to be stretched.

How does a city that everyone seems to love living in, and is the owner of the Best Mid-Sized City in Canada title, handle a situation like this?
Will we see some truly creative ideas coming out of one of the service clubs – maybe even from city council?

Could the hospital fun raising drive be put on hold while funds for disaster relief are collected?

Is there someone out there who has decided Burlington can do better than it is doing with the current Mayor and will mount a last minute campaign for the job and put forward an idea that captures the heart and mind of almost everyone and find himself/herself swept into office? If there is such a person – you’ve got until September to get your name on the ballot.