I've watched Victoria go off course throughout most of my life. The municipality hemorrhages money, so much so that they would never be able to keep track of where it all goes. They open up a given chunk of road for weeks, close it and re-open it for another volley of work. The tax burden is unduly high. The pet projects are half-baked. A new group has formed up to make a clean slate and replace the social engineers and councilors who have been in place for too long.

Tired of what they say is fiscal mismanagement and decisions that lack common sense, a Citizens group has launched a campaign to oust Victoria city council in next year’s election. The group of unknown citizens has set up a website called NewCouncil.ca which features a survey that, among other things, asks people if they would consider running for mayor or council.

We are a group of citizens committed to improving the way the city is being run in Victoria and would like to take a pulse on what people like and what people would like to change

Can they do it? Here are the obstacles they face:

• Victoria votes in incumbents. Lisa Helps got elected by something like 89 votes and she was up against Federal and Provincial NDP constituencies fighting tooth and nail keep their mayor installed.
• It takes personable candidates and they need lots of money. Ida Chong crashed and burned even though she outspent Helps.
• Old people vote for old people. Young people don't vote.
• Politicians don't care about the working poor. Everything North of Bay St. doesn't exist as far as the mayor and councilors are concerned.
• They have to be for something. Clinton was against Trump instead of for something. People don't vote someone into office to keep someone out of office.
• Victoria's government is defective. I attended a Central Saanich council meeting and was reminded of what viable government can look like.
• Angry plus a purple website will not make the revolution that the region needs.