No More Tax Hike

 Accountability

Our property tax hike is ridiculous. Edmonton has the highest compounded property tax increase across Canada’s major city. 60% over last 10 years. When will it stop? Never until we stand up and speak our message, loud and clear.  We need to curb this.

Will you buy something with no price tag, or with the rate supposed to be?  Our city does!

23 Ave interchange  was budgeted for $75million but ended with the final bill of $261 million

Efficient use of tax money

When municipal tax increases are imposed while people losing their job, something is not right. We need to address the problem through proper financial planning, strict control on our budget and better municipal planning. My background in financial planning and understanding of financial issues would greatly benefit how we allocate tax revenues efficiently.

My action :  

1. I will move a motion to pass a regulation that prevents tax increase over inflation rate. It has to be pre-approve by citizen before further increase. 

2. With my financial skill, I will ensure strict review and sensible contract negotiation to ensure our tax dollar is well spend on any projects. I am to bring financial sense into the councillor, not spending beyond our means !!

Greater Neighborhood Program

I believe in participating in activities closer to home.  I want to build a strong neighbourhood program that decentralizes yet co-ordinates city services, strengthens communities and local businesses through partnerships, preserves and enhances neighbourhood uniqueness through community self-help project and, enhancing neighbourhood uniqueness through Greater Neighbourhood:

- Promotes safer communities through knowing your neighbour

- Creates a sense of belonging

- Promotes health and wellness

- Provides more activities for children and seniors

- Encourages communication and understanding

 I have participated in Jim Diers’ program in the past and shared his vision on the program: that “one could make a great impact as a whole if we get everyone to involve and participate.”  

  Image: Matt Banks / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Managed Growth

Though it was seen as expected this could have been avoided if we had the vision to see and control urban sprawl early enough.

Without proper control, the definition of urban may change and expand every year without end. It would cost taxpayer millions of dollar to build and maintain infrastructure that have low utilization, closing down schools and facilities in the core and lengthen our travel time, adding pollution to the environment and cost more tax money.

Curbing this requires team effort and we need to be involved. Not just developers and the city, but all citizens need to be involved.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do I think our downtown need revitalize?     

By simply making the road wider or any cosmetically changes IS NOT REVITALIZE, it's waste of money!  The main problem with our city is urban sprawl. We are overly extended in all directions, north, east, south and west. Imagine a donut, that's how we are now. For too long we have been dictated by developer at tax payers expense to pay for developing our city boundary. Lands are cheap by acreage, and profits are huge. What's left in our core? Low utilization of school, sewer system that left to rot due to low usage? It makes no sense if this trend continues because what is "new" estate at city boundary today may turn to be the city core tomorrow. Why revitalize Edmonton downtown core when few years later, most people could go to Leduc or Morinvile ? Not to mention the crime and security issues. If we are to revitalize our downtown, we need commitment, steps and action.

My action

1  Passing a law to regulate or stop further development on our city boundary, and stop the mindless expansion.

2  Improve social service network and programs from within downtown core. We need to have more people moving back in to downtown core. To have this, we need to not only stop the urban spawl, we need support. Without proper planning and the people to support it, we have no “downtown revitalization” because it will not work.

Crime and Homelessness

I have to give my compliment to our chief Boyd and his strong leadership. Under his leadership; we have enjoyed considerable drop in crime rate. I am sad to hear that he is stepping down.  I hope our next chief will do a great job and wish the best. This is not an easy task.

We do not fight crime when it gets out of control; we simply prevent them from happening. Some of the way we could do, is by knowing your neighbour, helping your neighbour. By involving the community, running block party, neighbourhood watch, walk the dog, open house inviting your neighbour. A typical example, Tokyo, with one of the lowest crime rate in the world, simply because their policing and neighbor knows each other.  This is the fundamental of my neighbourhood program.

My Action :   Making our city safe while ensuring proper housing for homelessness will be one of my top priorities with my council colleagues.

 Image: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Recycling

I was proud of our city being the pioneer in recycling front. However, in a recent trip to my son’s school, I have learned that the recycle plan does not apply to his school. The city will only take unwanted book’s hard cover, and the rest goes into garbage. It’s ironic where we spend our time and effort teaching our children about conserving and recycling but do not give citizen amply opportunities to recycle all that they use.

My Action : To extend recycling to commercial. Stop the red tape! NOW!

 Image: Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Democratic ?

This is the core reason that drove me to have my name as a councillor candidate. Consider the basic fundamental; Democracy is supposed to be a representation of majority decision as a whole. It is to represent the voice of people. Far too long our city councillors, by which get voted by 20-30% of our people, made mistake after mistake and get away with that.  Consider the numbers, if the 20% of people can vote them into the council, why would a petition that represent 10% of people here were ignored.  I do not have issue with decision made on outcome of airport and sales of Epcor if enough due diligent is done.

The fact is, we need to listen. If there are enough people making a point, we listen, unless we are prepared to go to court. And this is what I see the recent development will lead to, and as tax payer, I am not ready to pay the legal bill.

I was deeply annoyed that tens of thousands of signature were collected and then the petition was voided due to technicality.

My Action : Re-open both Epcor and airport issue for further discussion with due-diligent. Better late than paying the costy legal bill

 Image: Filomena Scalise / FreeDigitalPhotos.net