Who are you choosing for mayor this election?

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Stephen Ave

#thesesocialmediatagesaresolame

What are tages?

[Northern]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

#neocitranhaze

#Nentard

[Socguy]

Focusing on the tax issue, people need to understand a few things.

1. Cities are required by the provincial government to balance their budget every year.

2. Cities are very constrained when it comes to raising money. User fees make up a small proportion of the overall take, property taxes are pretty much how the city lives.

3. Fire, police, EMS and roads take up something like 75-80 % of the budget.

4. If tax income is not rising by the rate of inflation at minimum, then functionally, it's the same as a cut in revenue.

5. Previously, other levels of government have balanced their books by downloading expenses to cities like Calgary.

So what does all this mean?

Well, when a downturn hits and the economic activity of the core shrinks dramatically, the city has no choice but to redistribute the tax load. It the law. This is why we're hearing reports of tax spikes from various quarters. Currently, the city is trying to moderate those spikes from a rainy day fund in the hopes that economic activity starts to recover, but eventually that will run out and we could be facing large tax increases if the core remains stagnant.

The other option is to cut services. To have any meaningful impact on the budget situation you are going to have to carve into the big four (Fire, EMS Police or roads). Cranking up user fees on buses and rec centers are not going to cut it.

The big city charter is another interesting idea if it would change the rules to allow cities to run deficits in some years as long as the budgets balanced over a 4 or 5 year period. This way cities could smooth out tax shocks to allow business and homeowners more time to adapt. If it went further and allowed cities new ways to raise funds, it would also help to take the load off the same old targets.

Finally, people who are upset that their city taxes are going up should keep this in mind when they vote provincially and federally. When a party promises to balance books at all costs, (or cut taxes) generally a big part of that is downloading expenses to lower levels of government while keeping the revenue for themselves. Magic! Except in the big picture YOU still end up paying.

It's high time that people in this Province have an honest conversation with themselves and admit that relying on oil revenue is not a stable way to fund a Province and bust cycles are very damaging. We need to seriously consider a sales tax. Albertans should be paying for the services they use so that the non-renewable resource revenue is no longer being frittered away subsidizing today at the expense of tomorrow. This, of course, is a completely different conversation.

[ST1]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

#neocitranhaze

Originally Posted by Stephen Ave

#thesesocialmediatagesaresolame

Originally Posted by suburbia

What are tages?

Originally Posted by Northern

#Nentard

#isthatthebestyouguyscancomeupwith?
#iamsurroundedbymorons

[dg66]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

#neocitranhaze

[Chinook Arch]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

#neocitranhaze

Originally Posted by suburbia

What are tages?

Originally Posted by Northern

#Nentard

[suburbia]

Angela Kokott: I want ‘the smartest man in the room’ to be our mayor
https://globalnews.ca/news/3799433/angel...martest-man-in-the-room-to-be-our-mayor/

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Angela Kokott: I want ‘the smartest man in the room’ to be our mayor
https://globalnews.ca/news/3799433/angel...martest-man-in-the-room-to-be-our-mayor/

I want the person that makes Suburbia shut up to be the mayor.

[msmariner]

I think it’s quite funny or even hypocritical that all the nenshi haters out there that think he’s arrogant also we’re probably supporters of Ralph Klein. There weren’t many more arrogant people than that man. That was one Of the biggest reasons why he was such a great leader.

[Habanero]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Angela Kokott: I want ‘the smartest man in the room’ to be our mayor
https://globalnews.ca/news/3799433/angel...martest-man-in-the-room-to-be-our-mayor/

Ummm. not exactly news. Nenshi is a regular on her show.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by SteveP

I want the person that makes Suburbia shut up to be the mayor.

Can you explain please? Honestly, the amount of bullying here is unpalatable, and it really needs to stop.

[Habanero]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Angela Kokott: I want ‘the smartest man in the room’ to be our mayor
https://globalnews.ca/news/3799433/angel...martest-man-in-the-room-to-be-our-mayor/

Ummm. not exactly news. Nenshi is a regular on her show.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Fishthebow

If Nenshi, it won't because because of Smith's brilliance, it'll be people's way of saying a hearty F-U to all the liberal mouth pieces.

I'm sorry but I can't understand your garbled sentence. Are you trying to be ironic or just another incoherent angry conservative?

[Deepstar]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Can you explain please? Honestly, the amount of bullying here is unpalatable, and it really needs to stop.

I can't speak for him, but it's probably a jab at all the posting you're doing, which I too find very annoying. Everyone here who is planning to vote for Nenshi, myself included have made up their minds. You're incessant posting is only going to make some people change their minds. There'a a part of me that will be okay of Nenshi loses, the bright side being we won't likely see as many posts from you.

[Tobyoby]

^Agree. The only thing Suburbia hasn't posted yet is an article on when Nenshi goes to the bathroom. The constant posting of Nenshi articles is getting tiresome.
Is there anyone here who hasn't made up there mind yet? Most of us have already decide we're voting for Nenshi, and others have already decided on Smith as the anti-Nenshi candidate. Monday can't come soon enough.

[roman]

Despite what has been indicated in the various replies to my previous post, I am not an uninformed voter and have done plenty of research. I am a proud Canadian/Calgarian and have lived in Calgary most of my life. I love this city and really want to see it move forward with a new mayor and a city council who get things done and who recognize the need to work with our business leaders to attract new business and work with them to complete new projects. I expect a council that works hard to find ways to cut red tape and make it easier to make new projects feasible. Calgary has unfortunately been the victim of an economy that is suffering due to the downturn in the oil and gas industry and at times like these we should be looking to build new infrastructure and amenities and work with, not against, the business leaders in this regard.

I am hoping that a new city council and a different mayor will have the drive and ambition to see the opportunities available and who will welcome business leaders and sit down with them to implement strategies that will move this city forward. I truly believe that hard work, cooperation, dtermination and big dreams create great cities.

[patm]

What exactly can the municipal government do to build infrastructure that will help Oil and Gas? Also why are you so keen on investing more into a sunset industry? Wouldn't it be better to try and bring in new industry? On that front the municipal government can do a lot and have been trying.

[Northern]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I'm sorry but I can't understand your garbled sentence. Are you trying to be ironic or just another incoherent angry conservative?

There are a couple of words missing from the sentence and you aren't smart enough to figure out what the sentence was saying? I figured it out in 5 seconds lol.

Though it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out, maybe you should read this book.



If Nenshi wins, it won't be because because of Smith's brilliance, it'll be people's way of saying a hearty F-U to all the liberal mouth pieces.

[Northern]

nm

[roman]

Originally Posted by patm

What exactly can the municipal government do to build infrastructure that will help Oil and Gas? Also why are you so keen on investing more into a sunset industry? Wouldn't it be better to try and bring in new industry? On that front the municipal government can do a lot and have been trying.

Sorry I did not mean that the city should build infrastructure for the oil and gas industry. I meant that we should be looking to build city infrastructure projects and amenities for the citizens of Calgary. I am definitely for diversification and bringing new different businesses to Calgary, but we also have to work in harmony with our existing business leaders to ensure that they are still invested in the local economy and to keep them invested in the local economy and welcome their ideas and ensure that Calgary is once again a business friendly environment.