Good morning from the Region — three cities, one wire, zero time for small talk. Let's go.

### You won't believe where Ford's jet went

Here's the thing about this region: we pay attention to how our money is spent. And when you see reports about the Premier flying short distances on a private jet, especially right after the province finalized buying that jet, it doesn't sit right. This isn't just about a Florida vacation, though that's a whole other schnitzel. It's about a pattern of using public funds for convenience, not necessity.

The latest comes out that Premier Ford took four short-haul flights across southern Ontario, all on the OPP plane, in less than two months. This was around the same time the province was finalizing the purchase of a new jet. We're talking about flights that could easily be covered by a car ride, maybe an hour or two on the 401, which is practically next door for someone travelling within the Golden Horseshoe. It makes you wonder about the priorities, especially when we're constantly hearing about budget constraints affecting things right here in Kitchener-Waterloo.

* **Public Trust:** When taxpayers in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge see these expenses, it erodes confidence. We're a region that prides itself on efficiency and innovation, especially with our tech hubs at the Tannery and Communitech.

* **Cost vs. Convenience:** Are these flights truly necessary for the job, or are they just a convenience at public expense? It's the kind of decision that feels a bit tone-deaf to the average person trying to make ends meet in our increasingly expensive housing market.

* **Regional Impact:** Every dollar spent unnecessarily at the provincial level is a dollar that could be allocated to regional priorities, whether that's transit expansion beyond the ION LRT or support for our local hospitals.

It's a stark contrast to how most people in our region commute, whether it's by car down Victoria Street or taking the ION between Kitchener and Waterloo. The optics of this, especially when public services are stretched, are just not great.

Anja Baumann-Fong, MiTL Sports Desk.

You know, Keith and the crew dive into this kind of stuff every morning — catch it live at mornings.live.