Quote:
Originally Posted by TitleRequired
Fair enough. Much of the discussion on this facet of urban non-planning comes from the US. A recent financial post article ( https://archive.ph/iv3kJ) discusses the same for Edmonton.
A relevant quote:
And crime is rampant in many urban centres, as last week’s visit to Edmonton reminded me. If people feel unsafe downtown, only very generous subsidies will persuade them to live there.
So far, I have not heard many municipal politicians concede their cities are turning into doughnuts. But if that is happening, they’re going to need a new approach to municipal priorities. Wishful thinking about the good old days of an urban core living off a commercial property gold mine won’t pay the bills.
SJ is just further along the process. |
One of the major differences between NB and other jurisdictions that has caused the disparity between the City centre and the outlying communities is the taxation policies.
Most urban centers benefit from the full property tax lift of commercial and industrial property tax and many benefit from a portion of payroll or sales tax. Imagine the level of services and the investments that could be made in SJ if the City received similar benefits to other urban centers across the world.
In NB, the best return for municipal finances is to focus on residential. It provides the highest ROI given the lower cost to support and the municipality keeps 100% of the revenue. The employment benefits, sales tax, a portion of property tax and other benefits all flow to the Province while cities carry the burden. Everywhere else, the best amenities and higher cost of real estate in is the City center, not the suburbs but it's the reverse here.
Blaming municipal governments or politicians is a cheap and easy way to find a scapegoat. Do you really think that every other municipality has no issue with politicians or municipal governance and that everyone else is high performing except little 'ol Saint John? You don't think that scandals, mis-management, union issues, poor investment decisions occur elsewhere and it's a uniquely SJ issue?
If you examine it, what truly sets NB apart is taxation policy.
Why was SJ the most prosperous part of NB until the 70's? What changed in the 60's that caused a change in direction?
You could also argue that our love of roads and fast commuting enabled suburban growth as well.
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