Interesting times with the provincial budget set for release on March 7. The main issue everyone has been talking about is the overspending by the province the past few years.
This is an issue I have been concerned with and have fought to ensure doesn’t happen to us at a local level. Balancing the needs and wants of the community with sound financial planning and leadership, has been my main purpose on council. Further, the importance of controlling the town’s operational budget has been my primary focus.
I will continue to be a strong advocate for the development of our new pool, curling rink, outdoor recreation spaces and arts centre, and put forward a plan for financing the town’s contributions to these very valuable recourses.
I have been opposed to transit as it has been presented in the past. That’s probably not a surprise to anyone, but I want you to understand that my reluctance to support transit has been largely based on the proposed ongoing operational implications. Currently, staff and citizens from the community are having an ongoing dialogue and working towards a new transit plan. I expect that conversation to be back in front of council this spring.
While I can appreciate the benefits transit may offer our community and hope that a strategy may be developed that gets us started at some point, I will still be looking for that balance of benefit versus operational costs.
Transit has to make sense before I will ever agree to raise taxes for this service.
I always look to you for feedback, whether you agree or disagree with my thoughts. Please let me know what you think. Email me: [email protected].
Thank you for your interest.
