Demographics will change in King

Well its election night and I am seriously bummed.

As one of those township residents who thought it was time for a change, it is not fun seeing a mayor returned to office that you are convinced is on a path to ruin the character of this township.

As one of the many who read and enjoyed Boom Bust and Echo by David Foot, I was fascinated how it so eloquently spelled out how demographics change things. It is with this in mind that I am reflecting on the current divide in the township and looking ahead at changes coming to King.

First look at the current situation. There is a serious north-south divide with the mayor and the northern wards basically imposing their views on the south. The mayor has yet to win the popular vote in Wards 1 and 5 in any of her elections, yet has continuously ignored the councillors who were elected there. Will this continue? If past experience is any indication, she will be unwilling or uninterested in bridging the gap. Have councillors Pabst or Rupke ever voted differently from the mayor?

The future demographic is even more interesting. With the overloading of development coming to King City, there is going to be a permanent power shift from the north to the south of this township. That seems inevitable. In a decade or so, municipal elections will be won or lost in King City and Nobleton, while the rural and northern vote really won't matter. It is with great irony that the supporters of the current mayor, who are

predominately in the north or rural areas, are in essence voting themselves into irrelevance. This is a shame, since a great part of the vitality of King Township is the strength of the rural areas and smaller hamlets.

Of course the greatest irony is that the residents fighting hardest for controlled growth live in the areas that will eventually hold the balance of power.

Interesting times ahead for the Township. An awesome place to live - for now.

Keith Beckley,

King City