It was with great interest that I read the detailed descriptions in the Wednesday, June 3 St. Albert Gazette of former city councillor Neil Korotosh and Dana Popadynetz of why we should all join hands and sing Kumbaya about a 20 per cent utility rate increase – this year alone.
What both failed to consider or even vaguely mention in their letters is the very real human cost of this type of increase to individuals on tight budgets such as single parents, large families, and seniors, and that is where the gatekeeper role of a city councillor really comes into play. Anyone, under any circumstances, who would support a 20 per cent increase for any city service at any time, ought to have their heads examined.
As is typical with individuals married to the idea of everything in life should be pay-as-you-consume, they have fallen into what I call the "Mazankowski principle." This principle was voiced by the former Canadian finance minister Don Mazankowski when asked why it was necessary for Canada to have a Goods and Services Tax. His answer? "All the other western world economies have one." In other words, because it made Canada part of the crowd, it was justified. Anyone here happy that we have a GST? Anyone?
Back to the letters of the above two individuals, and I quote, "According to a Dec. 9 report, St. Albert average utility costs are $8 less than Edmonton and only a few dollars more than Strathcona and Spruce Grove," and "even with those increases we are still “average” in utility rates for the capital region and well below Edmonton's utility rates. That in and of itself, should be an indication of how underfunded our utilities are." Mr. Popadynetz also points out that, "Prior to October 2014, St. Albert allocated 70 per cent of its MSI funds to municipal projects and 30 per cent of the MSI funds to utility capital cost projects." Really? Just 30 per cent? And this council can't make do with keeping up with our utility capital costs with the remaining 70 per cent, while using a mere 30 per cent to keep our utility increases and rates reasonable? What's wrong with being lower than everyone else – is someone going to throw us all in utility jail?
Boy, I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard an argument that robbing my pocketbook was OK since I was only being robbed to the same extent as everyone else around me. These arguments are killing individual taxpayers financially, and come from individuals who are definitely not the type of people we need on St. Albert City Council.
I could care less about Spruce Grove, Strathcona or Edmonton. I want a councillor who cares about the people of St. Albert – that's right, all of them, not just the ones with the ability to pay a 20 per cent increase. If it is 30 per cent of the MSI that is being allocated to keep utility rate increases reasonable for all, I say, that is a small price to pay to deflect the true human cost of such a callous policy that costs those who can ill afford to pay an extra $1,000 per year. I'd rather they bought groceries instead.
Tony Kryzanowski, St. Albert
