Governing Vaughan to Build a Vibrant Future

After living in Vaughan for 30 years and being in public life for 22 years, Mario Racco is running for mayor because he sees a city in crisis with a distinct lack of leadership.

It’s a void that, should he win, he plans on filling by being a mayor who governs as an equal with city residents, a people’s mayor instead of what he sees as the current administration, out of touch with everyday life in Vaughan.

“We have to elect somebody from ourselves who understands the issues and is prepared to address the issues,” said Racco, who sat down for an interview with Shalom Life in his office at his Thornhill home. “I will be with the people and among the people to make Vaughan a better place and to get people who aren’t engaged in politics today to feel that there is an opportunity for them to be part of the system.”

His biggest concern is bringing back accountability and openness to the city. To that end, last week he released 18 specific policy points he will implement in his first year as mayor to ensure that Vaughan fulfills its potential as the vibrant city he has experienced since moving to the area in 1980.

“I’m running (for mayor of Vaughan) because I believe what’s happening right now is highly unacceptable and I think I can make a difference,” he said.

Racco’s 18 proposals include a complete review of the rules that govern how council acts and a clear code of conduct for councillors. There will also be hotlines: one for residents and an anonymous tip line for city staff.

“Those in the short term are the most important because they deal with openness, accountability and professional behaviour that we are presently lacking and that’s what the average taxpayer is getting upset about. That’s my first priority.”

The whole culture of Mayor Linda Jackson’s administration and city government needs an overhaul, Racco said, noting that talented staffers and the brightest councillors are being led astray by the few bad apples. According to Racco, a multitude of city council scandals being reported on by the media – there are currently numerous people suing the city, some of them former supporters of the current mayor – have furthered a culture of insularity, allowing the mayor to get unconditional support from a majority of councillors on most issues.

Openness, regular communication with the public and opening all of the city’s books as much as is legally feasible, is the only way forward.

“When you put everything together, (Vaughan) comes out at among the top cities in Canada,” said Racco. “We have so much to offer and yet we are the laughing stock of this country, certainly the province. We can do better and I intend to do better.”

Racco will also focus on transportation and easing the gridlock which is slowly but surely overtaking the municipality’s roads.

“There is no question that public transportation is my biggest issue. I have made that clear from day one. It’s also an area where I have done more work than anyone I can think of quite frankly, not to take credit away from anyone. I am the one who started the discussion about a potential subway in Vaughan about 18 or so years ago (when I was on Vaughan council).”

Racco is excited by the subway extension to York University and is hopeful that the Yonge subway will be extended as well. He would also like to see a system of LRT connecting riders with the subway. But, he explained that a need for the system has to be there, either by creating jobs or housing in the area, otherwise there will not be enough riders to make it economically feasible.

“The sooner we provide the service the sooner we change the culture,” he said. He remarked that a recent study found the GTA loses $4 billion a year because of gridlock. “That is something that all of us should evaluate seriously because that means that we would be able to potentially make investments that will save us money.”

Racco said the question Vaughan residents need to be asking themselves is this: “If we don’t (invest in public transportation), what else do we have to do and how much is that going to cost us? How much are we losing on gridlock?”

Racco was born in Italy in 1955 and immigrated to Canada in 1972. He studied accounting at Ryerson and York University and worked as an accountant before entering municipal politics in 1982. He served on Vaughan council for five terms until he was elected as a member of provincial parliament for Thornhill in 2003. He has also been active in organizing the local Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research, Canada Day Festivities and other community festivities and groups. Racco’s wife, Sandra Yeung Racco, also holds office locally as the councilor for Vaughan’s Ward 4.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve (in politics) and quite frankly, I can do much more and I intend to do it,” he said.

Racco has visited Israel two times, during which he travelled to Ramla, one of Vaughan’s twin cities, among other sites he took in. With Israel Independence Day this week, he has a message for Vaughan’s Jewish community (about 40 per cent of Thornhill) and its Israeli community (the largest in Canada):

“Be proud of Israel and what you have achieved in this short number of years. I know you are proud and you should be proud. We can make a better world together so continue with that philosophy for a better world, not only for you but for everybody. Let’s think globally so we from Canada can assist the Jewish state to make it a better country and the Jewish state can assist us to make Canada a better country. And we’re doing that: There’s lots of interaction with the state of Israel, both economically and socially.”

With Premier Dalton McGuinty about to embark on an economic mission to Israel, Racco said that as mayor, he would strive to expand Vaughan’s business ties with Israel and would receive Israeli visitors, just as he showed visitors from Ramla around the city when he was on council.

He also wants to encourage the Israeli community, which he is proud to note is very engaged socially and economically in Vaughan, to become more active in the political process, in order to have their voices heard and make a difference for their city.

“Every community can get a little more involved overall in Vaughan. And it will happen. It’s natural. People get involved in their own community and then they want to bring the best that they have into the overall city, province and country. So all those things will happen. It’s a matter of time.”

Likewise, Racco wants to be mayor to bring his wealth of experience and knowledge to a city office that for far too long has been lacking the leadership and the drive to get things done for the people of Vaughan. He wants Vaughan residents to have hope and be able to look forward to a bright and prosperous future.

“I want to be able to make a difference for my city, the city where I have lived for over 30 years, where I met my wife and where we have conceived our kids, where everything we do is here,” he said. “This is my city, just like it’s the city of many other people. And I want to make it better not just for me and my family but for everyone.”