Property tax increases have averaged 4.2 percent over the last four years and are slated to go up 3.87 percent next year. Given that COVID-19 has been detrimental to many individuals’ finances and also to the city’s coffers, what is your position on these increases? (question posed by Alex MacPherson of the StarPhoenix to all mayoral candidates)
Regarding tax increases, I believe at this point, I cannot promise to cut anything in property taxes. Currently, we are running a deficit and if the powers have their way, we will be taking on a large amount of debt along with increased library taxes in the future. During a pandemic, which is really an emergency situation, the best we should hope for is to tighten up our spending to save the available debt ceiling and wait out the majority of the effects of this critical situation. It seems counterproductive for me to promise to completely cut tax increases while already knowing that the city is spending money it does not have. My view is that City Hall has not been taking this pandemic seriously and they are pressing on with major projects as if nothing otherwise is happening, continuing as if this is a great opportunity to take on more debt. It makes no sense to have a partially completed new library or arena or bus rapid transit system, all of which are redundant systems, to then find out that we no longer have room in our debt limit to make major infrastructure repairs for the general society in the worst-case scenario.