Dear editor:
With the upcoming election, there is an ongoing dialogue over what Cochrane ‘needs.’
A 10-year substantial list of varying costs, which total $152 million. The campaign focus has been on facilities that are a “want”, not necessarily a “need” – Aquatic Centre, curling rink and a performing arts centre in particular. All of these wants have their champions, as they are valid and important to improving Cochrane’s lifestyle, all of which will come to pass.
But what about those who have wants but no visible champions? The young families just starting out in life and the seniors on fixed incomes, both of which have a simple want: to be able to afford to live within the uniqueness of Cochrane.
Cochrane is sick! The sickness has manifested itself as an unbalanced tax ratio between residential and non-residential property, and although it isn’t terminal it can get worse.
Currently, Cochrane gets 87 per cent of its tax revenue from homeowners and 13 per cent from non-residential sources, while an ideal split would be 60/40 and a healthy split would be 70/30. Cochrane won’t disappear if this isn’t cured, but make no mistake, even if capital costs for additional or enhanced services can be found from grants and fundraising, the ongoing operational costs for those services can only be covered by user fees and our taxes. (Just as an aside, if an aquatic complex’s operations could be covered by retail rental income, don’t you think most communities would be doing so?)
Naturally, a financially healthy community with a balanced residential/non-residential ratio is better positioned to deliver the services that citizens rightfully desire, and a number of candidates recognize that.
A 10-year financial plan built around this existing deficiency is in place to deliver the current wants, while allowing resources to work in parallel on attracting new, and improving existing businesses.
Failure to make economic development a priority will result in two things: first, further erosion of the tax ratio, creating an affluent enclave with no place for those of lower income, and secondly, resulting in our town being just a Calgary bedroom community. The Cochrane that is, will no longer be.
I for one sure don’t need or want that to be realized.
George Churchill, spouse of mayoral candidate Joann Churchill
