A BUDGET SEVERELY LACKING IN COMMON SENSE
Edmonton City Council recently debated and passed their next 4 year budget, covering the period from 2023-26.
When Councillors began deliberations, the budget in front of them suggested a tax increase of 3.9% in each year of the four-year budget.
But after debate, discussion, and a Mayor who just couldn’t help but spend more, Edmontonians are now facing an increase of almost 5%.
During the budget discussions, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi proposed an omnibus amendment to the original budget prepared by the City, which added millions in extra spending.
Some of the highlights of the Sohi Spending Spree include:
- $53 million in green retrofits of City buildings
- $11.2 million for emissions-neutral City vehicles
- $100 million for new bike lanes
- $8.4 million for improving streetscaping
Sohi’s spending is intended, according to him, to help with the affordability crisis.
But, let's not forget that every dollar the City spends is a dollar than Edmontonians don't have, so all he's doing is paying for things with our own money - things we might have been able to afford to begin with if he hadn't taken so much of our money in the first place!
To be fair, one of Mayor Sohi's line items is $22 million for affordable housing, but when it's his anti-growth and anti-development policies that have contributed to the unaffordability of housing in the first place, a few dollars to subsidize slightly-less expensive housing isn't going to achieve much.
It would be far better to get rid of the red tape, get building, and bring down the cost of all new housing.
That way every home could be affordable, rather than only the ones that the City pays for.
Council did cut in some places - they opted out of $13 million in annual funding toward a regional transit service - but it cost taxpayers $15 million (once) to back out of the deal.
But they also committed more money to transit in other ways, including - bizarrely - making it so that children under the age of 12 will be able to ride for free, even when they're not with an adult.
We understand how letting kids ride free when with a parent is helpful for many Edmontonians.
But, given the rampant crime on the transit system at the moment, are people actually letting their kids take transit on their own?
Maybe we're wrong on that? Let us know if you disagree!
In the end, the reality is that a property tax hike is incoming, largely because Councillors wanted to spend more cash instead of finding efficiencies.
They wanted to spend on frivolous things that the average Edmontonian just doesn’t care about - especially in the middle of an affordability crisis.
Now, Council made sure to note that, despite the budget being approved, “budgets are fluid” and can change in the future, so there's hope they might see sense eventually.
But remember - that means they can come back and increase spending later too!
The best time to find efficiencies was before voting to spend more, but the second best time to do it is now!
Buckle up Edmonton.
Taxpayers are in for a bumpy ride over the next four years.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!