Comment 27 – comments and feedback

Bhanu Duggirala

Additionally, I also want to add the below points to my feedback, please forward them to the commission. I strongly oppose the proposal to merge north of Dundas St with Milton East - Georgetown. North of Dundas St Ward 7 Oakville wants to be a part of Oakville because of the following reasons:

1. Federal funding impacts on us locally: As far as we've been made aware, our cricket pitch and the proposed/upcoming basketball courts are Federally funded. With Ward 7 becoming a "minority" voice, respectively compared to East Milton and Georgetown.
2. Accessibility: Currently, there is only one line of public transportation that connects Oakville and Milton, additionally, Georgetown does not have public transit. If we were to be merged with them, the population of us that utilizes public transportation may no ability to attend the MP's office without transportation (depending on where they situate their office). This lack of access results in a lack of communication and information for both the MP and the constituents.
3. Education: As it stands today, most of our children are attending secondary/high schools south of Dundas Street West which would be outside of our proposed Federal boundary. Our education concerns that may be within the Federal interest, will have to be reported and presented to an MP from another riding.
4. Aligned representation provincially & federally: If this proposal passes, there is a possibility that we would have one MPP that we liaise with and a potential of having to liaise with two different MP's which would be both confusing to residents and may not have the same impactful and weight, depending on who the MP is and where the office is.
5. Taxes & representation: We are the largest growing pocket in Oakville and our taxes go into the Oakville. However, if we were to be blended into East Milton and Georgetown, our interests won't be in alignment with our taxes. Our taxes would continue to fund all of Oakville, including the two ridings that we would be excluded from, but we would become a lost voice who is still significantly contributing to a Town municipally, without the significant impact of having a Federal voice.

Regards,

Bhanu Duggirala