Since the forced merger in 2001, the so-called “new” city of Hamilton has remained a conglomeration of six former municipalities. Politicians have refused to understand this, let alone adapt to the new status.

There is the annual and emotional venting session, which has replaced any professional discussion about whether to retain the area-rating tax system. Local politicians have over the years revealed their true ignorance, and deliberate condemnation of the many diverse sections of the Hamilton community. Because of parochial political interests, our elected officials remain stridently indifferent to residents living outside their wards. They would rather badger, blame and bluster against a colleague or group of residents and score political points, than reach out to help or offer solutions.

That indifference has created what is fast becoming a failed community. Whereas other amalgamated cities, such as Ottawa and Sudbury, have over the last eight years forced themselves to welcome their distance cousins into the family fold, Hamilton, for some reason, takes great comfort in isolating its suburban, rural and urban folks from each other.

The vitriolic comments about urban, suburban and rural communities were on public display yet again this week as politicians debated whether or not the area-rating tax system should remain or be replaced by a more modern urban-rural system. Not surprisingly, the vote to delay taking any action on the tax system was split along rural-urban lines.

The comments, which have become all-too-common during this term of council, degenerate into a poor verses rich attack, with the suburbs accused of not paying their fair share in tax money. In return, suburban councillors accuse the old city of Hamilton of ignorance, a “culture of corruption,” and incompetence.

At one point this week, combustible Ward 4 Coun. Sam Merulla, who oversees one of the poorest areas of the city, boasted he should introduce a motion to separate from the rest of the city. The suburban politicians, only half-jokingly, immediately approved the mock motion.

But it’s not just the myopic vision our politicians continue to express. It’s also about crass politics.

Urban councillors continue to fume over what they see as a city governance structure that is decidedly “undemocratic” for them.

They see this every time they are outvoted by their suburban colleagues. Urban councillors repeatedly point out the Hamilton Mountain needs at least one more councillor to represent the growing population. Scott Duvall represents about 60,000 people in Ward 7, nearly double the constituents that Dave Mitchell represents in both Stoney Creek and Glanbrook.

Despite the stumbling attempts by recent mayors, including Mayor Fred Eisenberger, a former alderman from the old city of Hamilton, to knit together the disparate attitudes, emotions and beliefs among his 15 colleagues, Hamilton continues to bumble along with the fear that the separate areas of the city will fly apart leaving a centre that cannot hold.

“I worry about the unity of this community,” said Eisenberger, who put forth a motion to delay debate over area-rating until after the 2010 election. But fear of not doing something is not a political option.

Until there is some political leadership in this community, Hamilton will continue to remain a municipality that is at war with itself, divided by fear, hatred and ignorance.