With reference to Our View and Mr. Parker’s letter to the editor (St. Albert Gazette, March 6) I strongly disagree with both.
Our View raises the question as to who is ultimately responsible for addressing social housing needs. Unfortunately, for years both the federal and provincial governments have been abdicating their financial responsibilities, in this and other areas, downloading them onto municipalities.
Why is it that these levels of government have hundreds of billions of dollars for LRT used by less than 10 per cent of the population, or billions to buy pipelines, or hundreds of millions to buy rail cars, or tens of billions for foreign aid, but little money for apparently much-needed social programs? Perhaps both should re-evaluate their priorities.
Referring to Mr. Parker’s letter, yes council has demonstrated leadership and fairness when it comes to funding social programs. Yes, 100 per cent of net operating income should be used to purchase additional units.
Perhaps Mr. Parker can explain why long-term lease agreements have been renegotiated downward in Nevada Place and other social housing complexes? Is it true that it is due to high vacancy rates?
Property owners are frustrated with constant demands for more and more taxes to fund never-ending programs that are not our responsibility. Property taxes were implemented to protect and enhance values, not to be used as a payer of last resort for programs unfunded, or underfunded, by other levels of government.
According to recent articles, the city has upwards of $300 million in anticipated capital expenditures over the next 10-15 years. Our property taxes are already one of the highest in the province, due mainly to excessive, frivolous spending, based on wants rather than needs, and funding programs outside city mandate.
The editorial states “the city posted a $1.7-million surplus this year.” The city did not post a surplus. It simply overestimated last year’s financial expenditures, then collected taxes based on this amount. Yes, the entire amount should either be transferred to reserves, or applied to next year’s budget to reduce the property tax levy.
Norm Harley, St. Albert
