A policy comparison.
My fiscal responsibility plan focusses on actionable items directly within the jurisdiction of city council.
The idea being that the best chance we have at controlling taxes and affordability in our city is to look within. Generally, get our house in order and keep it in order by finding efficiencies that will allow us to do more for all Calgarians. (learn more about the plan here)
Another of the candidates for Ward 12, Evan Spencer, has placed at the lead of his budgetary policy a notion he refers to as “smart spending”. It is quite different from my fiscal responsibility plan.
The primary action of the “smart spending” plan is seeking a “fair deal” with the province in terms of the percentage of property tax revenue that is sent to them.
Evan Spencer's "smart spending" idea does not prioritize an examination of how much we are spending, its first action item is getting more money to spend.
The emphasis is on spending, not on responsibility.
More than 70% of the projected 2021-2022 Alberta provincial operating expenses are going toward health and education*. These are two areas that certainly do not need more stressors right now. It’s hard to image that a new deal with the province (sending them less money) wouldn’t do that because as a municipal council we have no control over how efficiently or not the provincial government runs their finances.
The most likely outcome of the “smarter spending” plan is an increase in spending and taxation and/or additional strains on health care and education.
Mr. Spencer's has made the first item of "smart spending" plan to search for more money to spend, not to look within to control spending.
My fiscal responsibility plan is more actionable and will result in greater efficiencies and better affordability for living and doing business in the City of Calgary to move us forward and take control of our future.
To repeat the sub-heading of this post, it's simply a policy comparison. You have a choice, it’s up to you.
Mike
*Source: GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA BUDGET 2021 - 2021-24 FISCAL PLAN - Introduced February 25, 2021 - page 98
Screen shot from Evan Spencer's website:
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