@pauldechene
Writing about city council in Regina, Saskatchewan. Co-host of the Queen City Improvement Bureau on 91.3FM CJTR - www.queencityib.com. Columns in Prairie Dog Magazine. There will be swearing. Proceed at your own risk.
Seriously, can anyone think of a product category where such a high percentage of options sold are so poorly designed to do their primary job as bike racks? Can you imagine if 40% of corkscrews couldn't really open a bottle of wine? Or water fountains where it's basically impossible to get a drink?
Hey, Regina BSKY… do people still take their kids to model homes? If so, where does one go these days? #yqrcc
Are you kidding? I wish we'd hyperfixated on death MORE!
Next time…
Council instead worked from a list of potential service reductions (Appendix M13 — which was provided by city admin) and reduced the mill rate increase 10.90%. #yqrcc
Admin also identified 3.25% worth of budget enhancements. If everything admin wanted PLUS all the enhancements council wanted passed unaltered, that would have given you an 18.92% mill rate increase.
NOBODY ever thought this was going to be final mill rate. #yqrcc
Administration's *proposed* mill rate increase was 15.69% which represented the funding shortfall after they'd presented their optimal list of services for the year.
Me and every other city hall reporter always said this was NEVER going to be the final mill rate. #yqrcc
I've been seeing folks on facebook & reddit claim that council passed an 18% property tax increase for 2026. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
The mill rate increase was 10.90%. I have a hunch I know why people are living under the misapprehension. #yqrcc
This is the second episode we've released this week. You can also listen to our conversation with city-admin muckity-mucks Deb Bryden & Luke Grazier about Regina's new Growth Plan. This was also a super fun conversation. #yqrcc queencityib.com/podcasts/202...
We had local author Suzy Krause on the QCIB this week for a friggin delightful conversation about her award winning novel "I Think We've Been Here Before" & apocalypses & such. Plus: bad news a'comin' for the library's central branch project! queencityib.com/podcasts/202... #yqrcc
Great reporting once again by CBC's Alex Quon, btw.
Yes this means we are going to get another round of Rashovich wondering aloud about cancelling fluoridation and he may try another motion. The fucking anti-fluoridators must be feeling pretty blessed by RFK jr today. #yqrcc
Water fluoridation delayed AGAIN in Regina. It sounds like a subcontractor on the water plant upgrade has been fucking up pretty royally. (Having hired contractors in this town, I can relate.) So far this project has been on-budget but jesus christ… what the fuck? #yqrcc
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
![Suburbia is Subsidized: Here's the Math [ST07]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:thigatosnyxffhfeyxgaahdf/bafkreiel2nac6kjxkzjji3o24qpv2ehz3ayohjkeihsxj3fcjcbf35gugi)
WATCH: This is STILL one of the toughest truths for some to accept, but one of the most IMPORTANT — car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtowns and urban areas!
Watch this excellent video by #NotJustBikes with #Urban3 & @strongtowns.bsky.social.
PLEASE SHARE it as much as possible.
Got busy & a little bit lazy — "blazy" as I like to call it — & fell behind on posting QCIBs again. So here's our Feb 26 chat w/ Deb Bryden & Luke Grazier from city admin about the city's new growth plan. This is a very informative & fun conversation — or, "inFUNmative" as I like to call it. #yqrcc
Climate change is accelerating. A new paper from @rahmstorf.bsky.social and Grant Foster argues they've nailed it statistically for the first time. 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What a smug lazy-brained piece of crap.
She also told me that decades prior to this, that Faculty of Commerce had been a "department" and fought hard to win their status as a "faculty". And then they were throwing it away b/c of, as she saw it, a dumb naming fashion.
I used to work in a university registrar's office. The Faculty of Commerce there wanted to change their name to the School Of Business b/c it "sounded better." The asst registrar I worked for was furious. She said, by British university standards, "School" is a downgrade from "Faculty." #subtweet
Courage & a heart? He'd still have to go to the Wizard to ask for a brain.
Gosh, Solomon met for a whole "HALF HOUR!" with ChatGPT's Altman! And got some vague assurances to do some vaguely assuring things involving a vague govt body with a vague mandate.
What a feckless dweeb.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Minister of Politely Asking Companies To Offer Thoughts & Prayers.
Carney says he supports US invading Iran, Cuba, and possibly Canada "with some regret"
One of the crews that the Arts Fest always struggles to get enough people for is the Operations Crew. So, moving, lifting, setting shit up, tearing shit down, lighting & sound. Very trad-male shit, if that's what you're after.
Was watching some stuff on male loneliness & more general social isolation… First thing I did when we moved to Regina was go to my local community association & ask, How can I help? Instant community.
Incidentally… the Cathedral Village Arts Festival is looking for volunteers. cvaf.ca
Regina Executive Cmte has a meeting today at 9am. I'll be lightly livetweeting from @pdcityhall. #yqrcc
Right? It's infuriating. I think some people lived through the televangelist comeuppances of the 80s & 90s & figure you can follow the money & prove that nobody truly believes these things, it's all a grift. But no! I did Catholic school. Some churchy types have really terrifying deeply held beliefs
If you're involved with the skate community & might want to come on the QCIB to talk about what the indoor skatepark meant to you or if you know someone who would want to talk to us, send me a DM. #yqrcc
