I haven’t kept strict track, but on a general impressions level it seems to me the City of St Albert has been overly conscientious concerning public works, and in a less-than-fiscally-responsible way. Is filling every tiny sidewalk crack, one at a time, the most economically efficient method? Are rarely used sidewalks on both sides of Levasseur environmentally and fiscally responsible? And what are all these false curbs about?
The only reason I can conceive is protecting parked cars in front of houses at the ends of streets: Isn’t that covered by the speed limit? In any case, is there no less expensive remedy?
This in addition to the bust Servus Place represents. Not to mention additional non-economically self-sufficient white elephant threats on the landscape that are not even affordable to many families and people on fixed incomes.
The city’s proposed tax increases, even if on the lower end, are unprecedented. This speaks of bad management. Perhaps I am overly influenced by John Perkins's Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, but I am curious: do the proposed tax increases also imply unprecedented borrowing, and if so, from whom?
I could find this out through Freedom of Information, which is not free in Canada. But just assure me: are we in hock to foreign loans, and if so, what is the collateral: public assets? Will we be owned and managed by foreign entities? Please assure me this is just idle curiosity and a “no worries” subject.
Doris Wrench Eisler, St. Albert
