On Ch Live yesterday Sam Merulla called the Tiger-Cats "a Welfare Case".
This guy is a piece of work, i just emailed him and got a response that proves he is not helping the city move forward. It's councillors like this that are holding the City back, and I'm being polite. 
Call or email this guy and give a piece of your mind !!
Sam Merulla Sam.Merulla@hamilton.ca 905-546-4512
This guy is NOT a problem solver
He is a problem creator and it is obvious he takes great pride in creating these problems
There isnt a camera or newspaper reporter that this guy will shy away from.
He will not change and is setting a poor example of how a council person conducts himself.
It is truly baffling how he is so popular in his ward.
I guess that is why I'm just not cut out to be in politics.
I earn my income the hard way, I work for it!
Maybe a welfare case but it's Bob Young that is paying the welfare. I think he pays his players around $60,000 average for 6 months work, that's pretty good welfare money.
Someone on another thread called Bob "greedy" because he's looking to make some money. Seems to me that he's donating his money to this "charity" that is making a lot of people happy and creating a lot of jobs. Isn't it about time he gets something back from this city.
Can someone please tell me how a man like Sam Merulla got voted in? He loves to hear himself speak, a legend in his own mind. Small minded people like making stupid remarks because that's all they know how to do with the limited grey matter they have.
Well Sam, BY might be taking his welfare case to a city like Moncton or QC or Halifax where they might appreciate his welfare contributions more than you.
He's now out to try and destroy the TigerCat name any way he can and he just looks stupid doing this.
I was just thinking that in some way, he is putting down people who are on welfare who have little or no other choice by using the term in a derogatory manner. But I'm sure Sam wouldn't have the brains to figure that out.
Some of us think politicians are welfare case themselves...
Something has to be done about this derogatory comment ! Merulla has put down everyone on Social Assistance.
Merulla should resign immediately !!
He has to be held Accountable for his actions.
City of Hamilton employees are forbidden from using the term “welfare” in the course of their jobs. A human rights complaint will surely ensue.
…just saying of course 
Mr. Mayor and Councillors;
The citizens of the City of Hamilton are outraged by Councillor Sam Merulla's comment on a local television show on December 30th, 2010. This show airs on CHCH at 5:30 pm.
Councillor Merulla made reference the Tiger-Cats being a "Welfare Case "
This type of comment, not only derogatory but extremely unprofessional. This comment offended many people on Social Assistance referring to them as being a loser on national television.
Councillor Merulla has to be held accountable for his actions !
An investigation should be conducted immediately.
His resignation should be effective immediately.
Respectfully yours,
Concerned Citizen.
Bravo tc! :thup:
To quote a famous bunny: "What a maroon". 
This is just what this guy deserves.
In this day and age a councillor in a City the size of Hamilton cannot use sayings like these in public.
It just goes to show what a faceless, unthinking and uncaring man he is.
To think he is receiving $82,000 salary to represent the City in such a poor and unacceptable way and is an embarrassment to the City.
Maybe just maybe he is not as smart as he thinks he is!!!
Another crooked idiotic politician.
Why are these idiots being elected?
An investigation into what? Speaking his mind? We complain that politicians are wishy washy and don't speak their mind.
I don't like the guy I think he's arrogant, he always comes across on interviews as a someone that really loves himself.
I dislike his left wing NDP views.
Resignation? Not likely - the guy was just elected in October, with a healthy majority by the people of his riding that love him and they re-elect him every election.
...Because nobody with honour runs against them?
... an investigation into his unprofessional behaviour which, in my mind deserves, at a minimum, an apology to all who were offended by his off-the-cuff remark. I think we deserve better than this scum as part of our city government. Perhaps you were one of the misguided individuals who voted for him?
Looks like I'm playing devil's advocate. From my understanding, several different reasons.
According to my grandmother used to live in Merulla's ward, unlike a lot of councilors, when people phone and complain to him about the plow not showing up, or a zoning issue or any city related concern, Merulla and his office have been always incredibly quick to respond.
However a couple other reasons are easy to see.
Merulla's ward is one of the poorest in the city. It's boarders are Ottawa Street, the Harbour, Lawrence Rd and the Red Hill Creek. Merulla has always screamed for infrastructure renewal, tighter environmental regulation and lower taxes which are all positions that fit that area.
The vast majority of the streets in this area are in ill repair (especially Kenilworth & Burlington Street) and speaking from experience many of the houses still have lead pipes linking the city main to them. I think the city began offering assistance with getting rid of them in 2007 mainly due to Merulla's and McHattie's efforts but it wouldn't shock me if they are still around. That and the entire area suffers from very poor water pressure, brownouts around Rosedale and basement flooding from the Red Hill.
In addition, a lot of this ward is painfully close to Dofasco and downwind of Stelco so the desire for tighter environmental regulations are very apparently. Merulla has tried (far harder then most would expect) to pin the black metallic fallout that falls over his ward, Beach Rd and Confederation Park. The Ministry of the Environment slapped Dofasco on the wrist a couple times but sadly can't pin down is the steel plant or the various chemical plants in the area are to blame.
Merulla also wants lower property taxes which, if you are in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city has to appeal to you.
Last but not least, Merulla is a firebrand. His candor at council leaves something to be desired and he is constantly angry at the ills that go on in his Ward. That appeals to a lot of people down there who frankly feel forgotten or abandoned by the city as a whole, mainly because every major issue that effects the ward that requires more then a single councilors intervention has been on the back burner for far too long. Fixing Burlington St, the Woodward Septic Plant Delays, the Lead Pipe issues, etc etc.
Frankly, I can't stand the man, not so much for his positions but mainly because of the way he acts. The points he makes fall on deaf ears because he refuses to act with candor and he ends up doing a disservice to his ward who frankly don't care to get rid of him because the city refuses to help them out. I disagree with his opinion on the stadium and the Ti-Cats as I do feel that a stadium can trigger redevelopment and bring tax benefits to the city, it just needs to be in the right location and the team does bring something to the city and frankly is worthy of subsidy in my opinion.
One thing about "Sam the Sham" is his consitant rant about IWS and the Tiger Cats. Sam appears to be aguy who was probably cut by a team and has this personal vendetta with orginized sports. What Sam needs to realize that there is two sides to the story. I sent him an email about HECFI - he would not comment. If IWS was in his ward, he would champion the
cause to have it replaced and relocated to a better location. There ain't no sole in that sole patch Sammy my man.
To be honest, I'm feeling sorry for him, he just doesn't know any better because of who he is. Honestly, I'm serious.
Call or email your councillors to have this guy censured. Best thing to keep him quiet. He is not helping the image of the city and it is incumbent his colleagues deal with him.