Bus Bucks update

Below are the email exchanges between John Turmel and other
municipal candidates in the municipal election of 2010 in
Ontario. Obviously, the idea of "bus bucks" is an idea worthy
of implementing during this next four year term of office for
the municipal politicians. I am wondering which municipality
will be the first one to implement the idea of "bus bucks."

Bravo to John Turmel for initiating this idea!!
John has posted an abundance of "bus bucks" information
at his website at this link:
http://johnturmel.com/busbucks.htm

JCT: Early in the campaign, I sent out information on  Bus
Bucks to 1,800 Ontario Municipal candidates in towns with
buses. Out of all those contacted, only 21 wrote to say they
liked it or were interested. So I'm going to take a moment to
publish their comments and urge you to contact anyone you know
in their towns to vote for them just for being smarter than
their opponents.

AJAX
Lynda Everson
Hello John, Your proposal has caught my interest. If elected,
I would like to discuss the concept further. Good Luck,
---

BRANT
Martin Sitko (Council)
Hi John, I support the bus bucks idea. It sounds like a great
idea! Martin Sitko
---

BRANTFORD
Robert Ferguson (Ward 4)
I'm spreading the word about Bus Bucks.
---

BURLINGTON
Cathy Ridsdale
Dear Mr. Turmel: While the position (school board trustee) for
which I am running does not give me any power to make the
changes myself, I will certainly use it as a discussion point
where ever possible. Thank you for thinking outside the box
and combining our underused transit system and underemployed
youth for a constructive program. Good Luck with your
campaign.  Have fun.  Cathy Ridsdale
---

BURLINGTON
Jim Blake  (Ward 4)
John - I did receive this at my other email address - I
replied to you - and think you have a great idea, already I am
promoting it - and have passed it on to friends running in
other Ontario ridings - they too agree it is a super idea -
even if not in office, I like you would continue to promote
this Timebank project. Best wishes to your success
---

BURLINGTON & HALTON
Jim Blake (Council)
I love this idea and when elected to Ward 4 in Burlington I
will be most enthused about promoting this for Burlington and
Halton - great idea. I also sent this along to an old friend
Mike Jaycock - former broadcaster in Hamilton when I was at
CKOC 150 - he is running for council in Eagle Lake
BEST WISHES FOR ELECTION IN BRANTFORD
---

CAMBRIDGE
Mark Fox (Council)
Awesome idea John. Good luck! I've included a plug about this
idea in my bio in an upcoming edition of the Cambridgeshire
times. Thanks Mark
---

HALTON
Mandy Kerfoot (Public School Board Trustee)
Thanks John. I think that is a great idea, providing kids an
opportunity to earn instead of them just being given things.
We do not have public transit in our area aside from the Go
bus. Good luck on your campaign.
---

KAWARTHA
Lynne Boldt (Mayor)
Thanks very much John for sharing this wonderful idea with me
and while I am unable to commit my Municipality's support at
this time, it is definitely something I would keep under
consideration for coming days. Excellent proposal and best
wishes for it's growing success. Lynne Boldt CoKL
---

KITCHENER
Yvonne Fernandes
Hello John, Thank you for your interesting and novel idea on
how to create jobs and get people using the transit system.
I hope that after the election you will bring your ideas to
Council at all levels and explain in more detail how this
system works.
---

LONDON
Tom Winnicki (Mayor)
I've always been a supporter of alternate currency.
---

LONDON
Mary Bray
Hi Sorry too busy to quite understand what you are saying -
but certainly I agree it is a great idea to put work Pan
Handlers, etc in London to work - especially our downtown -
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME KIND OF GOVT PROBLEMS????? Unions??
Mary B

From: John Turmel
To: Mary Bray

MB: it is a great idea to put work Pan Handlers, etc  in
London to work -
Jct: What a great idea to let pan handlers earn Bus Bucks too.
Hadn't thought of it and I'm sure we'll soon think of many
more. Karen Appleton has also responded. Any chance you can
start a Bus Bucks bandwagon so you get your friends to support
her and she and I will get our London friends to support you.
Anyway, I'd love to hear you endorse my
http://johnturmel.com/busbucks.mpg video of how people react
to the idea of Bus Bucks Jobs. If it goes viral, we all get
elected.

Mary Bray
After watching video getting the whole idea - why wouldn't I
support your plan to save taxes? -- help students, welfare
keep people working and fill up the all the empty buses, with
more of a eco approach - a win win win win for all - thanks
for the idea
I have been in real estate business for 50 yrs - and was top
agent in Canada - but mostly doing commercial and affordable
housing projects - I hate politics but only way to be heard.
Definitely your idea with bus passes - I have done something
like that - by getting panhandlers to basically trade work for
food -  a cute little cafe - I had them clean the windows for
food - helping tenant a small business and they loved it and
had food that they would not get to eat on welfare - we need
to help these young people and teach them how to work.
Beside I had a magnificent Heritage Bldg -  old vaudeville
theatre - which had renovated to a nice restaurant (won award
first year I opened) - 1991 - GST - Also used the govt program
to pay a portion of handicap workers - which they really
appreciated being able to be part of what was happening and
helped me too in those terrible GST times.
Yours is even better - with REDUCING city taxes at the same
time - why are these educated top paid bureaucrats and the
politicians - especially in London - spending our money so
recklessly with total NO COMMON SENSE.
Hamilton has taken our wonderful editor PAUL BURTON - from
London Free Press - please tell him we miss him and are very
sad to lose such a great guy - I think he would like your idea
and support it. Tell him Mary Bray and all of London miss him
Now Hamilton have more trees that we do - stolen our "Forrest
City" too. Paul has supported so many ideas over the years but
city hall will not listen - see my website - so to make a
statement  - I am running for city hall too - maybe we can
make a change - FREEZE TAXES, revitalize our downtown with out
spending $Millions of taxpayers money.
I like Warren Buffet's approach to business
Micheal Moore -  just lately he said don't just complain - do
something .... run for city hall - look what he has done - by
being quite outrageous. Good luck - hope this time you get in
for mayor.  Mary Bray
---

LONDON
Karen Appleton
Poverty is a violation of human rights. I agree 100% with this
statement. Perhaps this idea would be an incentive for the
children of Ontario Works parents to become involved and
receive valuable work experience. This would encourage staying
in school and lowering the crime rates. Thank you for the
information.
---
Hi John. The reason why I like this is people on Ontario Works
and other social assistances just cant seem to catch a break.
The amounts just are not enough to live on. Points cards,
foodbanks and church vouchers seem to be the only thing that
isnt clawed back. You are expected to live off of OSAP while
attending "higher education" but there is no guarantee of a
job to pay back these funds now. After you are done with your
education then the loan is considered a personal debt. There
is no help with it.

From: johnturmel@yahoo.com

"Perhaps this idea would be an incentive for the children of
Ontario Works parents to become involved and receive valuable
work experience."
Jct: You're the second candidate to mention using Bus Bucks to
reward these kids.
There are so many things Bus Bucks could be used for, I can
only hope you'll jump on the Bus Bucks Bus-Wagon tell the
world you'll take Brantford's if I'll take London's. In 1999,
under the UNILETS Time Standard of Money, I paid for 39/40
nights in Europe with a timebank IOU for a night back in
Canada worth 5 Hours which I recorded on my public do-it-
yourself timebank account: http://johnturmel.com/unilets.com I
have no doubt that we'll set up a LETS so Londoners can find
Bus Bucks accommodations in Brantford as London can easily
build a list of people who'd like to earn some Brantford Bus
Bucks for a spare room.
We're building a big timebank here and as long as it's $12 Bus
Bucks per Hour like Canadians have always paid ourselves $12
Greendollars per hour, then we're compatible with the rest of
the timebank world and residents of Brantford and London can
travel the world on the Bus Bucks UNILETS TimeBank Accounts.

"This would encourage staying in school and lowering the crime
rates. Thank you for the information."
Jct: You should see how the "Timedollars" program worked to do
that in the States. Imagine paying older kids to tutor other
kids with Bus Bucks rather than Timedollars. I haven't even
yet started to flesh out such other uses and you're free to
join in.
You're the first of over 350 who has responded positively.
More power to you, Karen Appleton.

Mary Bray from London also just responded positively. Maybe
you can start your London bandwagon getting your friends to
support her while she and I get out London friends to support
you.
---

LONDON
Zak Young
"While I accept the need for an alternate currency, I would
like to see it dictated by the market and am confidant should
we legalize competition in currencies a gold standard would be
the consumer's preferred monetary system.
Jct: Why don't we cover the need you accept for an alternate
currency with Bus Bucks until we  find the gold? And it will
be dictated by the market for labor. More kids putting in
time, more double-backed (time & rides) Bus Bucks to stimulate
local trading. Our $2 tickets will replace the Twonies so we
can bank the cash and save the interest.

"I fail to see any advantage to your bus bucks over our
current fiat money supply."
Jct: You don't have enough fiat money supply and I do have
enough bus tickets to stimulate trade and we can bank the cash
we've substituted for with Bus Bucks and keep the interest.

"Virtually everyone who has written on the subject of money is
what is termed a "money crank". This term I believe applies to
you and your proposal. Printing more money does nothing, what
we need to do is create more wealth. Printing money is in
general a bad idea also because of the disincentive inflation
causes with regards to savings."

JCT: Can't resist including those candidates who cannot see.
---

OTTAWA
Robert Gauthier (Mayor)
I support Bus Bucks.

MARKHAM
Marlene Gallyot
Great idea.
---

NEWCASTLE
Carl Zmozynski
John,Good ideas for the 21 century,  Good luck Regards,
---

ORILLIA
Kelly Clune
Great idea John! I'll see what I can do about sharing it.  I'm
a firm believer that we must provide accessible, convenient
and affordable public transportation. This works into my
platform nicely. Thanks!! Kelly Clune
---

OSHAMA
Bill Harris
Good luck on that one John
---

PICKERING
Ken Nash
What a great idea John! Get this, out Durham way if a student
is going to Durham College or UOIT, they get to travel Durham
transit for free, just show their student card. But this time
bank is something special. If your constituents are wondering
why their debts are so onerous check this out, given the
developer crowd out your way image it's the same there. To pay
a $300k mortgage in Pickering compared to Toronto as result of
difference in tax rate is $180k more. Cheers, Ken Nash
http://web.me.com/kenwnash/For_Pickering_Mayor/Youre_poorer_than_you_think.html
---

SUDBURY
Leo Bisson
John I think this is the best I have heard yet. We do not do
that here yet, but once I am elected in city council I hope
you have no problems if I do it here. Like you said it could
be good here and in Bradford. Maybe after the election if we
both get in we can chit chat. Thanks Leo Bisson
---

VAUGHN
Deb Schulte
Great idea! I have not got the ability to make this happen as
I am not yet on Council and this is not yet in place. If I get
in I can work toward getting a program such as this in place,
however I cannot promise to do this before the election. Best
wishes! Deb
---

And with me, that's 22 candidates out of 1800, 1.22%, rarer
than the 2% it takes to get into Mensa. The others showed no
leadership whatsover, faced with a wonderfully simple idea,
they just could not manage the get up and go to act. So we're
the Mensa of the Ontario Municipal candidates who were told
about Bus Bucks and caught on.

JCT: Early in the campaign, I sent out information on  Bus
Bucks to 1,800 Ontario Municipal candidates in towns with
buses. Out of all those contacted, only 21 wrote to say they
liked it or were interested. So I'm going to take a moment to
publish their comments and urge you to contact anyone you know
in their towns to vote for them just for being smarter than
their opponents.

AJAX
Lynda Everson
Hello John, Your proposal has caught my interest. If elected,
I would like to discuss the concept further. Good Luck,
---

BRANT
Martin Sitko (Council)
Hi John, I support the bus bucks idea. It sounds like a great
idea! Martin Sitko
---

BRANTFORD
Robert Ferguson (Ward 4)
I'm spreading the word about Bus Bucks.
---

BURLINGTON
Cathy Ridsdale
Dear Mr. Turmel: While the position (school board trustee) for
which I am running does not give me any power to make the
changes myself, I will certainly use it as a discussion point
where ever possible. Thank you for thinking outside the box
and combining our underused transit system and underemployed
youth for a constructive program. Good Luck with your
campaign.  Have fun.  Cathy Ridsdale
---

BURLINGTON
Jim Blake  (Ward 4)
John - I did receive this at my other email address - I
replied to you - and think you have a great idea, already I am
promoting it - and have passed it on to friends running in
other Ontario ridings - they too agree it is a super idea -
even if not in office, I like you would continue to promote
this Timebank project. Best wishes to your success
---

BURLINGTON & HALTON
Jim Blake (Council)
I love this idea and when elected to Ward 4 in Burlington I
will be most enthused about promoting this for Burlington and
Halton - great idea. I also sent this along to an old friend
Mike Jaycock - former broadcaster in Hamilton when I was at
CKOC 150 - he is running for council in Eagle Lake
BEST WISHES FOR ELECTION IN BRANTFORD
---

CAMBRIDGE
Mark Fox (Council)
Awesome idea John. Good luck! I've included a plug about this
idea in my bio in an upcoming edition of the Cambridgeshire
times. Thanks Mark
---

HALTON
Mandy Kerfoot (Public School Board Trustee)
Thanks John. I think that is a great idea, providing kids an
opportunity to earn instead of them just being given things.
We do not have public transit in our area aside from the Go
bus. Good luck on your campaign.
---

KAWARTHA
Lynne Boldt (Mayor)
Thanks very much John for sharing this wonderful idea with me
and while I am unable to commit my Municipality's support at
this time, it is definitely something I would keep under
consideration for coming days. Excellent proposal and best
wishes for it's growing success. Lynne Boldt CoKL
---

KITCHENER
Yvonne Fernandes
Hello John, Thank you for your interesting and novel idea on
how to create jobs and get people using the transit system.
I hope that after the election you will bring your ideas to
Council at all levels and explain in more detail how this
system works.
---

LONDON
Tom Winnicki (Mayor)
I've always been a supporter of alternate currency.
---

LONDON
Mary Bray
Hi Sorry too busy to quite understand what you are saying -
but certainly I agree it is a great idea to put work Pan
Handlers, etc in London to work - especially our downtown -
BUT I THINK THERE IS SOME KIND OF GOVT PROBLEMS????? Unions??
Mary B

From: John Turmel
To: Mary Bray

MB: it is a great idea to put work Pan Handlers, etc  in
London to work -
Jct: What a great idea to let pan handlers earn Bus Bucks too.
Hadn't thought of it and I'm sure we'll soon think of many
more. Karen Appleton has also responded. Any chance you can
start a Bus Bucks bandwagon so you get your friends to support
her and she and I will get our London friends to support you.
Anyway, I'd love to hear you endorse my
http://johnturmel.com/busbucks.mpg video of how people react
to the idea of Bus Bucks Jobs. If it goes viral, we all get
elected.

Mary Bray
After watching video getting the whole idea - why wouldn't I
support your plan to save taxes? -- help students, welfare
keep people working and fill up the all the empty buses, with
more of a eco approach - a win win win win for all - thanks
for the idea
I have been in real estate business for 50 yrs - and was top
agent in Canada - but mostly doing commercial and affordable
housing projects - I hate politics but only way to be heard.
Definitely your idea with bus passes - I have done something
like that - by getting panhandlers to basically trade work for
food -  a cute little cafe - I had them clean the windows for
food - helping tenant a small business and they loved it and
had food that they would not get to eat on welfare - we need
to help these young people and teach them how to work.
Beside I had a magnificent Heritage Bldg -  old vaudeville
theatre - which had renovated to a nice restaurant (won award
first year I opened) - 1991 - GST - Also used the govt program
to pay a portion of handicap workers - which they really
appreciated being able to be part of what was happening and
helped me too in those terrible GST times.
Yours is even better - with REDUCING city taxes at the same
time - why are these educated top paid bureaucrats and the
politicians - especially in London - spending our money so
recklessly with total NO COMMON SENSE.
Hamilton has taken our wonderful editor PAUL BURTON - from
London Free Press - please tell him we miss him and are very
sad to lose such a great guy - I think he would like your idea
and support it. Tell him Mary Bray and all of London miss him
Now Hamilton have more trees that we do - stolen our "Forrest
City" too. Paul has supported so many ideas over the years but
city hall will not listen - see my website - so to make a
statement  - I am running for city hall too - maybe we can
make a change - FREEZE TAXES, revitalize our downtown with out
spending $Millions of taxpayers money.
I like Warren Buffet's approach to business
Micheal Moore -  just lately he said don't just complain - do
something .... run for city hall - look what he has done - by
being quite outrageous. Good luck - hope this time you get in
for mayor.  Mary Bray
---

LONDON
Karen Appleton
Poverty is a violation of human rights. I agree 100% with this
statement. Perhaps this idea would be an incentive for the
children of Ontario Works parents to become involved and
receive valuable work experience. This would encourage staying
in school and lowering the crime rates. Thank you for the
information.
---
Hi John. The reason why I like this is people on Ontario Works
and other social assistances just cant seem to catch a break.
The amounts just are not enough to live on. Points cards,
foodbanks and church vouchers seem to be the only thing that
isnt clawed back. You are expected to live off of OSAP while
attending "higher education" but there is no guarantee of a
job to pay back these funds now. After you are done with your
education then the loan is considered a personal debt. There
is no help with it.

From: johnturmel@yahoo.com

"Perhaps this idea would be an incentive for the children of
Ontario Works parents to become involved and receive valuable
work experience."
Jct: You're the second candidate to mention using Bus Bucks to
reward these kids.
There are so many things Bus Bucks could be used for, I can
only hope you'll jump on the Bus Bucks Bus-Wagon tell the
world you'll take Brantford's if I'll take London's. In 1999,
under the UNILETS Time Standard of Money, I paid for 39/40
nights in Europe with a timebank IOU for a night back in
Canada worth 5 Hours which I recorded on my public do-it-
yourself timebank account: http://johnturmel.com/unilets.com I
have no doubt that we'll set up a LETS so Londoners can find
Bus Bucks accommodations in Brantford as London can easily
build a list of people who'd like to earn some Brantford Bus
Bucks for a spare room.
We're building a big timebank here and as long as it's $12 Bus
Bucks per Hour like Canadians have always paid ourselves $12
Greendollars per hour, then we're compatible with the rest of
the timebank world and residents of Brantford and London can
travel the world on the Bus Bucks UNILETS TimeBank Accounts.

"This would encourage staying in school and lowering the crime
rates. Thank you for the information."
Jct: You should see how the "Timedollars" program worked to do
that in the States. Imagine paying older kids to tutor other
kids with Bus Bucks rather than Timedollars. I haven't even
yet started to flesh out such other uses and you're free to
join in.
You're the first of over 350 who has responded positively.
More power to you, Karen Appleton.

Mary Bray from London also just responded positively. Maybe
you can start your London bandwagon getting your friends to
support her while she and I get out London friends to support
you.
---

LONDON
Zak Young
"While I accept the need for an alternate currency, I would
like to see it dictated by the market and am confidant should
we legalize competition in currencies a gold standard would be
the consumer's preferred monetary system.
Jct: Why don't we cover the need you accept for an alternate
currency with Bus Bucks until we  find the gold? And it will
be dictated by the market for labor. More kids putting in
time, more double-backed (time & rides) Bus Bucks to stimulate
local trading. Our $2 tickets will replace the Twonies so we
can bank the cash and save the interest.

"I fail to see any advantage to your bus bucks over our
current fiat money supply."
Jct: You don't have enough fiat money supply and I do have
enough bus tickets to stimulate trade and we can bank the cash
we've substituted for with Bus Bucks and keep the interest.

"Virtually everyone who has written on the subject of money is
what is termed a "money crank". This term I believe applies to
you and your proposal. Printing more money does nothing, what
we need to do is create more wealth. Printing money is in
general a bad idea also because of the disincentive inflation
causes with regards to savings."

JCT: Can't resist including those candidates who cannot see.
---

OTTAWA
Robert Gauthier (Mayor)
I support Bus Bucks.

MARKHAM
Marlene Gallyot
Great idea.
---

NEWCASTLE
Carl Zmozynski
John,Good ideas for the 21 century,  Good luck Regards,
---

ORILLIA
Kelly Clune
Great idea John! I'll see what I can do about sharing it.  I'm
a firm believer that we must provide accessible, convenient
and affordable public transportation. This works into my
platform nicely. Thanks!! Kelly Clune
---

OSHAMA
Bill Harris
Good luck on that one John
---

PICKERING
Ken Nash
What a great idea John! Get this, out Durham way if a student
is going to Durham College or UOIT, they get to travel Durham
transit for free, just show their student card. But this time
bank is something special. If your constituents are wondering
why their debts are so onerous check this out, given the
developer crowd out your way image it's the same there. To pay
a $300k mortgage in Pickering compared to Toronto as result of
difference in tax rate is $180k more. Cheers, Ken Nash
http://web.me.com/kenwnash/For_Pickering_Mayor/Youre_poorer_than_you_think.html
---

SUDBURY
Leo Bisson
John I think this is the best I have heard yet. We do not do
that here yet, but once I am elected in city council I hope
you have no problems if I do it here. Like you said it could
be good here and in Bradford. Maybe after the election if we
both get in we can chit chat. Thanks Leo Bisson
---

VAUGHN
Deb Schulte
Great idea! I have not got the ability to make this happen as
I am not yet on Council and this is not yet in place. If I get
in I can work toward getting a program such as this in place,
however I cannot promise to do this before the election. Best
wishes! Deb
---

And with me, that's 22 candidates out of 1800, 1.22%, rarer
than the 2% it takes to get into Mensa. The others showed no
leadership whatsover, faced with a wonderfully simple idea,
they just could not manage the get up and go to act. So we're
the Mensa of the Ontario Municipal candidates who were told
about Bus Bucks and caught on.