James Crosty believes he has the right balance of experience and new ideas to take on the role of mayor of New Westminster.
Prior to moving from Ontario to British Columbia, Crosty worked in the stock market, studied to be an actor, did some stunt work in the film industry, travelled with a car racing team, started an art-based business and worked as a sales manager for a European cosmetics company.
"I am 55. I am proud of that because I think this is the best part of your life," he told The Record. "This is when you have enough experience to tackle things, this is when you can actually make a difference in the world. And then I want to retire. I don't want more than two terms at this point. I think that's enough. We need fresh ideas and people and faces."
Crosty and his partner bought homes on the North Shore, fixing them up and selling them.
"I like getting my hands dirty," he said. "I like getting in and fixing things. I like seeing the results, I like seeing when you start from something that is not correct or it is not the best way, and you can fix it."
While living in North Vancouver, Crosty started a business - a decision that ultimately brought him to New Westminster.
"When you look at a map and you put your finger in the middle of a map you hit New Westminster," he said. "It is the hub. And it was free long distance."
Crosty soon found himself involved in provincial politics. After appearing on the TV news to protest the Social Credit government's decision to cancel a low-interest grant/loan program for small businesses when his company's application was already in progress, he was contacted by then-Liberal leader Gordon Wilson, who agreed the government was being unfair.
Crosty started looking for local Liberals and became the president of the New Westminster Liberal constituency association. He was the campaign manager for the local candidate in 1991 and is proud of a role he had in what turned out to be a turning point in the leaders' debate.
"When Rita Johnston and Mike Harcourt were fighting on television in the debate, Wilson said, 'This is why nothing gets done in the legislature. Elect me and I'll make sure things start to happen,'" Crosty recalled. "Well, that was a line I gave him, although they'll probably never give me credit for that."
In 1993, Crosty founded the Sapperton residents' association when the province and the Salvation Army wanted to demolish and replace the existing seniors care facility on Richmond Street and build a larger 110-bed facility. His home was across the street from the site that needed to be rezoned to allow the project to proceed.
"I started almost immediately becoming an advocate in the city," he said. "There was no residents' association in Sapperton, so we started one up to dispute the size of the Buchanan Lodge development right in the middle of a very quaint community neighbourhood."
Crosty hopes New Westminster residents have the same desire for change that helped the B.C. Liberals in the 1991 provincial election.
"I think that is what ignites people. It's when there is something different, something that is exciting. Wayne (Wright) did this when he first came in in 2002. But he only won by 18 votes," he said about the incumbent mayor. "I hope to win by a lot more. I hope people catch fire on this campaign and they realize it's just time. It's not just change - it's just time. Ten years with the same guy who should really be enjoying his life right now. He should be going to Australia with his girlfriend and having a good time."
Crosty views Wright as a "caretaker" who only wants to serve one more term and finish projects that are already underway.
"Come on, we don't need a caretaker," he says. "We need somebody that is going to roll up their sleeves, get the finances in the city under control. I'm serious about money in terms of how they do it."
Crosty has three main objectives when it comes to taxation: no increase in resi-dential or business property taxes for three years; no new taxes for residents; and no tax increases for businesses. Asked how he would maintain city services without passing increases onto taxpayers, Crosty believes savings could be found through initiatives such as a core services review, a city employee incentive program, and reviews of employee/consultant costs, the living wage policy and the city's economic development strategy.
In recent years, Crosty has also voiced concerns about the costs of the city's 150th celebrations in 2009 and with Westminster Pier Park.
"It doesn't make me negative, it makes me critical. That is what makes life exciting. Because through criticism comes the solution or alternatives," he said. "That needs to come back to the city."
Crosty has no shortage of ideas of things he'd like to pursue as mayor, including: committing resources to give arts and culture a prominent role in New Westminster; pleading with the province to take over the school district's capital projects; starting a process to consider why the ditches in Queensborough aren't filled; reducing the number of Freedom of Information requests to city hall; ensuring environmental initiatives are sustainable and are providing an economic benefit to the city; examining duplicate services in the city; and eliminating red tape at city hall.
"Here is a committee I found out that exists in Surrey - it's called the red tape elimination advisory committee. That's what they do. They go through and get rid of red tape for people, developers, the average citizen," he said. "They work to get rid of the blockages in the process."
Calling the city's finances a "reoccurring nightmare", Crosty says that 80 per cent of the city's budget goes to salaries and benefits.
Crosty believes in capping salaries at the management level at city hall.
"If you think you're worth more, find a job in another city, otherwise put up with what you've got and let's work toward making the city the very best," he said.
"But we don't have any succession planning in the city either except for the top jobs."
Succession planning is also something Crosty believes should be considered for city council. He supports the idea of "financially empowering" residents' associations by having the city provide them with $1 for every resident in their neighbourhood, as that would help them pay for insurance for meeting places, flyers and festivals.
"Guess what we get from that? We get succession," he said. "People say the only ones that run for mayor and council are the ones that have been on committees or on residents' associations. Thank God - because they have some experience in dealing with city hall and the public."
On the development front, Crosty believes staff has been working on "a lot of vanity projects" such as Westminster Pier Park and Hyack Square redevelopments.
He also believes the city needs to make improvements that speed up the time it takes for developers to get the approvals they need for their projects.
"We are building 400-square foot condominiums for people to stay overnight and work in Vancouver," he said. "Wayne has created a bedroom community in his concrete highrises. I have nothing against development that's good. Development for the sake of development is wrong. It's just not right to bring somebody into the city because we are giving away our land so that we can get them here. Then we get them here and we don't treat them well."
Crosty said that when he's spoken against developments, whether it was Buchanan Lodge or Port Royal, the end result has been better than what was originally planned.
"New Westminster is complicated," he said about the city that's more than 150 years old. "New Westminster has nuances that you certainly need to deal with. I am not saying this is easy. I am saying it is all possible. You are never going to please everybody but you sure as hell better try and please the majority. That is what you are elected to do. Leadership is not perfect, democracy is ugly, but you have to do things that need to get done. I have a record of getting things done."
Crosty would like to make some positive change in the city and move on with his life.
"I am not a believer in staying long. My mandate is to do a couple terms," he said.
"I know turning a big ship like this around and making it a business and accountable to the citizens is not an easy task."
In recent years, Crosty has captured headlines for his role in trying to get railway companies to cease nighttime noise at the Quayside train yard. He assures residents that he's more than a one-trick pony focused on rail noise.
"Google me," he said. "Google my name, James Crosty, and you will see dozens and dozens of issues. - Those that say I am a one-issue guy haven't been listening."
In addition to resolving the train noise issue within a year, Crosty believes he can make improvements to the city's transportation issues.
He said he's already working with some Burnaby councillors who want discussions about the Stormont connector reopened and wants to talk to Coquitlam about the United Boulevard extension.
"We need to engage our neighbours - with or without TransLink," he said.
Crosty is confident he has the skills to serve as mayor without first gaining experience as a city councillor.
"The mayor's job requires the opportunity to present a bigger picture for the city," he said. "That's why I am running for mayor."
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