9 candidates among first to declare for Richmond Hill council
Political scene heats up

Richmond Hill Liberal
January 9, 2014
By Marney Beck

It may be cold outside, but it’s a hot time for municipal politics.

In the first week candidates can officially register for the Oct. 27 election, nine candidates have declared their intention to represent you on council.

Councillor Carmine Perrelli was among the first out of the gate to register Jan. 2 — aiming for the top job of mayor.

“I am putting myself forward as a mayor that will be open, transparent, accountable and will put an end to the old boys club at Richmond Hill council,” said the current Ward 2 councillor in his press release announcement.

Three other candidates made it official at town hall last Thursday.

Stan Daneman is running for the Ward 2 seat currently held by Mr. Perrelli.

Angel Freedman is running for the council seat in Ward 4, vacated by Lynn Foster and currently held by appointed councillor David West.

Both Ms Freedman and Mr. Daneman were among the 40 candidates who applied for the vacant Ward 4 seat in November.

As well, current trustee Carol Chan registered last week, hoping to keep one of two seats for Richmond Hill on the York Region public school board.

This week five more threw their hats into the ring by press time: Joe DiPaola hopes to earn one of two regional council seats, Karen Cilevitz is aiming again for Ward 5 while Frank Mastroianni wants the Ward 6 seat. All three names will be familiar to voters.

Mr. DiPaula most recently was among the candidates vying for the Ward 4 appointment and sat as a councillor from 1997 to 2006.

Mr. Mastroianni also sought the Ward 4 appointment and was among the three candidates in the running for Ward 6 in the most recent 2010 election, placing second to Godwin Chan, the current Ward 6 councillor.

Ms Cilevitz was among the four candidates running for Ward 5 in the last election and came second in the polls to current Ward 5 Councillor Nick Papa.

Also yesterday, two candidates registered for Oak Ridges Ward 1, current Councillor Greg Beros and Trifon Haitas, the Green Party candidate for the Oak Ridges-Markham riding in the 2011 federal election.

Mr. Perrelli said he is running for the mayor’s post due to urgings from “many frustrated residents” who feel important decisions are being made on their behalf without their knowledge, input or agreement.

In wording that sounds familiar to residents in all wards who received a controversial fall newsletter survey from Mr. Perrelli, he reprises familiar themes for his campaign for mayor.

“In the past 20 years, taxes have risen 40 per cent while the rate of inflation has only gone up 19 per cent. Each councillor gets paid a $7,000 car allowance on top of their $70,000 salary. We are a small municipality and each ward is just 15 square km in size. Such a generous car allowance is an outrageous abuse of taxpayers’ money,” said Mr. Perrelli in his news release.