3 incumbent councillors opposed to LRT throw support behind Vito Sgro

Three city councillorswho are opposed to light rail transit (LRT) two of whom are running again have endorsed mayoral challenger Vito Sgro.

I could always go back to supporting LRT if the commitment isn't there.- Terry Whitehead

Terry Whitehead, Judi Partridge and Robert Pasutaall came out in support of Sgro this week. Sgro has been running on the campaign slogan "Stop the train. Fix infrastructure." He's running against incumbent Fred Eisenberger.

Whitehead, who's running in the new Ward 14, says he wants to spend the $1 billion for LRT on other infrastructure projects.

"It is now abundantly clear that residents of the west Mountain are not happy with this project," said Whitehead, who was a swaying pro-LRT vote last year.

"As their representative, I am not satisfied with the mayor's inflexible approach to LRT."

Whitehead said he can't remember endorsing another mayoral candidate in an election. Last year, he fought for LRT to go from McMaster University to EastgateSquare rather than McMaster to the Queenstontraffic circle. His support for submitting an updated environmental assessment to the province tipped the scales in favour of LRTlast spring.

Whitehead was tearful then when he said LRTgoing to Eastgate Square made it "defendable" to his constituents.

He's demonstrated bad judgment on many occasions and I think this is another one.- Fred Eisenberger

This spring, the Ford government said the city could have $1 billion for transit or infrastructure. Whitehead said he supported LRTthen because he wanted Hamilton to get the $1 billion investment. Now his view haschanged.

Without Ford's promise, "we wouldn't be having this conversation right now," Whitehead said Wednesday.

"They made that commitment. I believe them. I could always go back to supporting LRT if the commitment isn't there."

Back to the ward boundary dispute

Eisenbergerwas also a deciding vote againstappealing new ward boundariesin court, Whitehead said. The Ontario Municipal Board ruled that the city had to implement boundaries that eliminatedthe old Ward 14 in rural Flamborough. Council voted 8-7 against an appeal.

"Fred did not fulfil his duty to protect our suburban communities," Whitehead said, "and I wonder which community he would sacrifice next."

For his part, Sgro is running in favour ofmaking Hamilton five wards that align with provincial and federal ridings, rather than the 15 wards that exist now. In each ward, three councillors would be elected at large.

Partridge, meanwhile, endorsed Sgro and his idea to spend some of the $1 billion on the Waterdown bypass instead of LRT.

"Together, we will get the Waterdown bypass built and ensure that our area rating is protected across Flamborough and the broader city," Partridge said in a statement through Sgro's campaign.

Partridge told CBC News that the ward boundary decision influenced her endorsement too.

'More positions...than the Kama Sutra'

Partridge is running in Ward 15 against Susan McKechnie. Whitehead is running against Bryan Wilson and Roslyn French-Sanges. (Two other candidates are not campaigning.) Pasuta isn't running again.

Eisenberger said he's not fazed. His endorsements, he said, include former MPPTed McMeekin, former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps, MPs Scott Duvall and David Christopherson and three former mayors, as well as six unions and a union head.

Partridge and Whitehead "have been all over the map" on LRT, Eisenberger said. "Terry Whitehead specifically has had more positions on this than there are in the Kama Sutra."

"He's demonstrated bad judgment on many occasions and I think this is another one."

The election is Oct. 22.