We are in a recession in Alberta. Our provincial government is going into a deficit because of this. Does that then mean that our city administration and government should do the same? What kind of example are we setting for future generations? It seems today that it doesn’t matter if we go into debt or spend like there is no tomorrow. Certainly our provincial and city governments don’t care about our children and are spending their money and putting them in bondage for their entire lives to the tax system.
Look at what our city is spending money on today. Business is not growing in Alberta and won’t be for quite a while now. Yet the city champions business growth and is showing leadership by building the infrastructure themselves and not waiting for developers to do so. Why are developers not clamouring to build the road to nowhere downtown and put up buildings? Our council has approved funds for an arts and heritage foundation that simply does the craziest things. We have sidewalks and streets being painted to make roads “prettier.” Did anyone tell them snow is about a month away? Who cares about a painted sidewalk or road? We have a new “pinecone” in the middle of a park, which is quickly gaining a new name in some circles. How much was spent on these “works of art?”
There is word out there that there is money in the new budget for an art gallery. There is a world class one in Edmonton. We are going to spend millions to build an art gallery in St. Albert for whom? Our city has been building medians and putting trees and flowers on them. How much will it cost to maintain them in the future? You can’t just run a mower over the grass, you have to weed the flowerbeds and maintain all of this by hand. You then need to constantly put the bark back on to the medians that goes into the road or replace it. The list goes on and on. As I said earlier, we are in a recession.
People are losing jobs and we should be concerned as residents and neighbours. Rather than the city spending money to develop property to invite business growth that won’t happen and give money to organizations who want to paint streets and put up pine cone statues, why not be cautious and look out for things to come. Increasing costs to maintain roads is ludicrous. The economy is not good right now, and raising taxes to the tune of four per cent next year is ridiculous. Anyone who is educated in business and economics realizes and knows from history, that raising taxes through a recession only takes more money out of pockets of people and gives them less to spend. When they have less to spend, business slows down and small business suffers the most. The tenants that most likely would open downtown are small businesses. A tax raise is counter-productive. Most of the new taxes go toward giving pay raises to employees and hiring more people to maintain the newer city projects. The majority of the city budget right now goes to employee wages.
It is great to think about the future, but there are too many people thinking about how they are going to pay their bills “today and tomorrow” in St. Albert. There is no future if we can’t take care of today. During the last election, I heard members of council say that it is irresponsible to think we can maintain taxes or reduce them. I believe the reason they don’t feel they can maintain or reduce taxes is because they don’t know how to or don’t care to. I believe the latter suggestion. The federal government and provincial government are looking at ways to reduce. They implement hiring freezes and wage freezes. Many businesses are laying people off today locally. Yet our city wants to increase costs.
I call upon our city administration and council to look at cutting costs today and give taxpayers relief. I also call upon them to implement wage freezes, like businesses are right now, and implement a hiring freeze. At this time, our city council and administration need to be responsible and show real leadership by setting an example for all by reducing the tax burden in our city and showing real fortitude. Reduce taxes by reducing spending. Giving organizations money to paint sidewalks and put up pinecones while people are losing jobs is not a responsible action. And building a road that does nothing and will sit empty because of a recession is ridiculous.
Ted Durham, St. Albert
