After decades on the job, Mississauga councillor Ron Starr ousted by voters

Mississauga Ward 6 voters spoke loudly in tonight’s municipal election, and their message was clear: We’re tired of the old; bring on the new.

Their message was especially resounding to the target of their displeasure–longtime councillor for the ward Ron Starr.

The embattled Starr, first elected to council in 1978 and after a lengthy absence returned to the seat in 2010, lost decisively tonight to the man he narrowly defeated in the 2018 election, Joe Horneck.

With 100 per cent of polls reporting, Horneck led in a walk, 7,085 votes to Starr’s 2,970 votes.

Muhammad Kamil finished third, with 1,707 votes.

Horneck, who lost in a City of Mississauga by-election in 2015, fell to Starr in the 2018 ward race by just over 300 votes.

So voters this time around, perhaps displeased with Starr’s alleged involvement in the harassment of a former council colleague, seemed comfortable voting in greater numbers for a familiar alternative.

Dear residents of Ward 6
I have had the privilege and real honour to be your City and Regional councillor for the past 12 years. By working together,we have made our city a better place for our families. Today I need your vote to keep working for you.Experience matters.
Thank you

— Ron Starr (@RonStarr6) October 24, 2022

Horneck’s victory also means Mississauga will have yet another new face on council come its inaugural meeting of the next term.

With three other councillors having retired, there were already going to be three new faces around the council table for sure.

Starr, though not charged by police, was found earlier this summer by a City of Mississauga integrity commissioner investigation to have likely engaged in the harassment of former Mississauga Ward 2 councillor Karen Ras.

Joe Horneck (Photo: Joe Horneck Twitter)

Ras had her vehicle vandalized/keyed on several occasions while parked in the City’s underground garage. She resigned this past February.

In his report, integrity commissioner Robert Swayze found that Starr scratched Ras’ vehicle on April 13, 2021 “and that the single incident of scratching constitutes workplace harassment” under the City’s respectful workplace policy.

Starr’s pay was suspended for 60 days as a result.

From the outset, Starr has denied that he vandalized Ras’ SUV.