Leadership
Phyllis Morris brings people together. Phyllis understands partnership and inclusiveness and staying connected. Phyllis will fairly and firmly preside over town council meetings, restoring decorum to our public life. Forward thinking and tireless, Phyllis is open to ideas and brings an optimistic perspective to her work. Phyllis demonstrates professionalism through preparation, planning and perseverance to achieve desired results. Phyllis works hard and delivers. Phyllis Morris will make Aurora's concerns heard, take care of town business and represent our community’s best interests.
Vision
Phyllis Morris believes Aurora needs to refresh, regroup and refocus on its future. Phyllis believes our town is a vibrant, unique, sustainable community, not just a suburb. We must protect our heritage and what remains of the area's natural beauty, and work to restore and enhance both. In this sense, Phyllis champions protection of the unique ecosystem of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Phyllis wants Aurora to takes its rightful place in York Region and in Ontario. Phyllis will ensure the town's strategic plan doesn't collect dust, but is used to ensure personal, residential and Commercial investments pay dividends.
Ability
Phyllis Morris has a demonstrated ability to identify issues and to listen to public concerns. Phyllis is a doer. Phyllis helps demystify municipal processes and deliver accessible local government. Educated in law enforcement and as a court and tribunal agent, Phyllis Morris understands the law and how to work with Aurora's regional partners to keep us safe from crime. Phyllis's experience in retail, marketing and human resources bring well-learned best practices to economic development opportunities for Aurora. As a seasoned member of Aurora Council, Phyllis understands the intricacies of the machinery of municipal government. Phyllis Morris is ready and well-able to serve the interests of Aurora residents.
The Issues
Accessible, Caring & Accountable
Strong Proponent Of Open Government
Ask your friends and neighbours – Phyllis Morris helps Aurora residents access their local government. She listens to people and doesn’t play favourites. She believes others have a right to their opinions, and the right to voice them in a non-hostile environment. Phyllis gets things done, and demands accountability. Phyllis initiated the Code of Ethics for council members and has supported provincial legislation to create penalties for anyone violating Open Meetings provisions of the Municipal Act.
Growth, A Taxing Problem
Phyllis warns that residential property taxes, service charges and fees may continue to rise at alarming levels unless:
1. Appropriate development charges are levied that accurately reflect real future infrastructure needs.
2. Services are based on real growth and realistic deliverables.
3. Efforts to stimulate business development are significantly improved.
4. Aurora collects its fair share of monies from regional sources, and the federal and provincial
tax coffers.
Phyllis will give clear direction and a higher profile to Aurora’s economic development efforts. Phyllis closely scrutinizes town expenditures. She knows how to push to get back Aurora tax dollars from surpluses of higher level government.
Fighting Transportation Chaos
More than a decade of political near-sightedness has led to traffic gridlock and public transportation that falls short of the needs of residents. Necessary parking expansion at the GO Station is unfinished and already inadequate for the future. Phyllis Morris will work on a creative, sustainable parking solution for Aurora’s downtown rail lands.
Champions Important Environmental Needs
Aurora sits on one of the world’s most important ecosystems – the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Our special place in the world requires careful stewardship to protect our precious water supply.
Phyllis Morris has a dozen-year record of taking action to manage resources, remove obstacles to energy conservation and get environmental hotspots investigated, managed and cleaned up.
Keep Aurora A Wonderful Place For Families
Recreational and cultural opportunities for families and youth must grow in step with our community. Phyllis Morris has a long record, as a private citizen and member of Aurora Town Council, of successfully championing improved town services for youth. A secure family life also depends on public safety. Phyllis has worked in the court system and served the town on the joint committee with Newmarket to manage fire and emergency services. She brings essential public safety management experience.
It’s Time To Fix The Recreation Plan
A strong leisure services plan is important to residents of all ages in our community, yet the master strategic plan and the pricing policy for leisure services in Aurora was not reviewed during the last three-year term of council. Phyllis Morris will ensure such important policies are regularly reviewed and welcome direct user and community input.
Community Traffic Hazards Must Be Addressed
Because of the hands-off approach to planning favoured in the past, the town is often forced to undertake expensive studies and “traffic calming.”We’ve experienced high traffic volumes on residential streets, speeding, on-street parking problems, blocked sidewalks and threats to the safety of children. Solving traffic problems requires Phyllis’s open-minded, creative and determined leadership.
Keep “The Community” In Our Downtown
Aurora’s downtown core should symbolize both our community spirit and our way of life. The downtown should be a “must visit” location for residents and visitors, and a prized area for business to locate. Our historic architecture and heritage are among our most important and unique social and economic assets. Let’s not bulldoze publicly owned buildings at Library Square without a plan when we already lack space for community services, like daycare, youth activities, cultural events and social support groups. Phyllis Morris will ensure Aurora has a vision for our town that enjoys community support and helps property owners and developers understand the kind of initiatives our citizens prefer.
Arts & Culture – Important To Our Local Economy
Phyllis Morris will develop a plan for promoting arts, culture and heritage initiatives and businesses in Aurora, to enhance the quality of life in Aurora and as a tool for promoting economic development.
This would include reviewing needs for facilities, and supporting existing initiatives at the Factory Theatre, the Aurora Heritage Centre, Hillary House and other locations.
Caregivers Deserve Our Support
Phyllis Morris worked hard to ensure town council approved a new seniors centre that exceeded public expectations. Now we must support the centre’s programs. Phyllis will press the region and higher governments to support caregivers by improving ease of access to general health care, cancer care, palliative care, home care and other support services.
Protect Our Heritage Lands
The 99-acre Anne Bartley Smith Lands on Bathurst St. and other natural heritage areas within Aurora must be preserved and protected. We have a responsibility to honour and strengthen the legacies of forward thinking people who contribute to the betterment of our community.
Phyllis Morris will do this.
Thinking Smarter About Waste And Conservation
Re-use and recycling, and the elimination of waste at source, must be promoted more strongly. Phyllis will continue advocating environmental alternatives that save you money and taxes.
Aurora Tax Dollars Should Be Spent On Aurora Needs
Many big issues facing our town start with York Region Council decisions. Aurora’s positions in the past at York Region have been a mystery to most people. Regional taxes climb, regional council forces unwise growth on Aurora and our town is way down the priority list for things we need, like improved transportation options. Aurora needs Phyllis Morris to ensure we get a fair share of regional spending and our voices are heard on regional issues that affect us.
