'Developers' money pollutes municipal politics': Newmarket deputy mayor candidates square off on campaign donations

Incumbent Tom Vegh not taking any donations in this campaign, says he's always voted in community's interests

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 30, 2022
Lisa Queen

Newmarket’s race for regional councillor and deputy mayor has ramped up into a contentious affair over the issue of taking campaign donations from members of the development industry.

The race to the Oct. 24 municipal election pits incumbent Tom Vegh against challenger Gordon Prentice.

Prentice believes politicians who accept campaign donations from those in the industry are beholden to developers when they come seeking council approval for their multi-million-dollar proposals.

“Developers’ money pollutes municipal politics,” he said, adding he won’t accept such contributions to help bankroll his campaign.

Prentice has criticized Vegh -- who said he has a two decades-long track record of integrity on council -- for taking donations from members of the development industry in the 2018 election, detailed in legal financial records.

And he accuses Vegh of failing to make it clear if he is taking similar donations during this campaign.

“I am only running because Tom Vegh accepts money from people intimately connected with the development industry and votes in line with their interests on major planning policy issues,” Prentice said in an email.

He points out that Vegh voted in favour of York’s new growth plan for the next 30 years, which could potentially open up almost 8,000 acres of green space for development, at a June 30 regional council meeting.

Critics have argued that the plan is illegal, precedent-setting and will damage the environment through urban sprawl.

Pointing to accusatory language about him on Prentice’s blog, Vegh said he’s never been the target of such nasty attacks during his years in municipal politics.

In an interview with the Era and yorkregion.com, Vegh said he is making his position for this campaign clear.

Saying he respects that residents would prefer that candidates not accept donations from those doing business with the town, he said his 2022 campaign is financed by him and his wife and he will not be accepting any donations from anyone who may do business with the town.

“We want to avoid any perception, and the perception is wrong, but we just want to avoid any, any perception of people thinking that a donation equals influence because it doesn’t and (my) voting record shows it doesn’t,” he said.

Vegh said he has always voted in the best interest of the community.

“The Town of Newmarket has a very rigorous planning process. All of those (checks and balances) happen before anything even comes to council,” he said.

“My vote has been consistent with staff recommendations, it’s been consistent with my council colleagues. It (campaign funding from the development industry) does not influence and there’s no evidence that it influences.”

He accused Prentice of failing to show specifics where he feels Vegh was in the pocket of developers, arguing that Prentice backs off, only to come back with more general accusations.

Prentice points to his blog, where he has listed specific votes where Vegh has voted on regional council in favour of developments -- including in June 2019, when he voted to bring a parcel of land on the Oak Ridges Moraine in Vaughan into the urban settlement area, and last November, when he voted to allow development on a parcel of land on the Oak Ridges Moraine in Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Vegh also feels the campaign should focus on who is the best candidate to manage a number of substantive issues facing the town, such as affordable housing, Mulock Park, expanding the trail system and recreational facilities -- including a new east-west, multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists spanning Newmarket -- responsible growth, limiting tax increases, protecting greenspaces and mitigating climate change.