Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - City tax hikes -- kiss goodbye to your fancy ped bridges

Bunk · 10-30-2008, 02:14 PM

A one time capital expenditure of $25 million on the bridges (basically 1% of the city's operating budget each year) is insignificant.

On Nov 3rd, McIver is putting forward a notice of motion 'to reconsider' the pededstrian bridges. In order for council to reconsider a previous vote, 2/3 of council has to vote for such a motion. That means 10/15 people on council. 7 on council supported the bridges. 7-6 vote with 2 absent - with one of the absent, Gord Lowe ,saying he supports the bridges contingent on them being selected by a jury rather than having Calatrava automatically selected, which I hear is the approach the City is now proposing (Calatrava is out) which means he will likely support.

It means that at least 3 (4 if you now include Low) of the original alderman/mayor who supported the bridges would have to switch their vote.

I don't see that happening.

As far as taxes and the budget - the real culprit is the taxation system itself. Property taxes are always needing to be hiked in Canadian muncipalities - and it is a regressive tax. Really, the City should be allowed to collect from income, sales taxes and user fees primarily. Notice how the province and federal government never needs to raise tax rates? Their revenues automatically keep up with growth. Property taxes do not.

Operational costs are what are really driving up expenses - for all those services, police, transit, road maintainance, new parks, etc that people demand, all cost a lot.

Calgary right now, has some of the LOWEST property taxes of any large Canadian municipality, and also some of the lowest level of municipal services (for example we are the last municipality to have curb-side recycling). Now that people DEMAND these services - they have to be paid for!

That's not to say that in some areas spending is out of control (zero-based budgeting is an idea I support) but there is a reason why taxes need to go up!

The bridges are just a red-herring.

Besides, the Bridges will provide far more value for Calgary in the long term than their price tag.

10-30-2008, 02:14 PM	#23
Bunk Franchise Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Exp:	A one time capital expenditure of $25 million on the bridges (basically 1% of the city's operating budget each year) is insignificant. On Nov 3rd, McIver is putting forward a notice of motion 'to reconsider' the pededstrian bridges. In order for council to reconsider a previous vote, 2/3 of council has to vote for such a motion. That means 10/15 people on council. 7 on council supported the bridges. 7-6 vote with 2 absent - with one of the absent, Gord Lowe ,saying he supports the bridges contingent on them being selected by a jury rather than having Calatrava automatically selected, which I hear is the approach the City is now proposing (Calatrava is out) which means he will likely support. It means that at least 3 (4 if you now include Low) of the original alderman/mayor who supported the bridges would have to switch their vote. I don't see that happening. As far as taxes and the budget - the real culprit is the taxation system itself. Property taxes are always needing to be hiked in Canadian muncipalities - and it is a regressive tax. Really, the City should be allowed to collect from income, sales taxes and user fees primarily. Notice how the province and federal government never needs to raise tax rates? Their revenues automatically keep up with growth. Property taxes do not. Operational costs are what are really driving up expenses - for all those services, police, transit, road maintainance, new parks, etc that people demand, all cost a lot. Calgary right now, has some of the LOWEST property taxes of any large Canadian municipality, and also some of the lowest level of municipal services (for example we are the last municipality to have curb-side recycling). Now that people DEMAND these services - they have to be paid for! That's not to say that in some areas spending is out of control (zero-based budgeting is an idea I support) but there is a reason why taxes need to go up! The bridges are just a red-herring. Besides, the Bridges will provide far more value for Calgary in the long term than their price tag.