Let’s face it folks: this city has been living beyond its means for a while. Here’s a website keeping track of the tab: https://victoriaspending.ca/.
The featured image above shows the Crystal Pool’s bill in particular. The worst part is that the project’s costs will certainly balloon far beyond the original estimate, like every mega project. And of course betray even the most pessimistic deadlines.
I’m being asked all the time about my stance on taxation. Well, I commit not to increase property taxes nor fees during the next term—barring an emergency, of course.
This also means we may have to cut on nonessential expenses. I know for example that you all like those fancy lamppost flowerpots, but I’m afraid we may have to axe those.
Right now we just have too many fires to extinguish to afford spending at the same rate without raising taxes nor burning down the last of our financial reserves. Speaking of which, I’ve done my homework a couple years ago:
This basically means that if you want me to support your festival, art gallery, or playground, I’ll need a proper cost-benefit analysis showing that the benefits exceed the expense. To do any less in the circumstances would be an insult to overburdened taxpayers. Yeah, I mean you, Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria.
Now tell me: How many municipal council candidates so far have come clean about the state of our finances? Because those who cannot bring themselves to make such a statement are either irresponsible or dishonest.
By the way, here’s my platform, which is similarly blunt but just as honest and pragmatic; what you see is what you get.
https://martingirardforvictoriacouncil.ca/#platform
https://en.votemate.org/c/13552?riding=804
Any questions? Send them to martin.girard@martingirardforvictoriacouncil.ca.
