The pending St. Albert municipal election has the opportunity to affect the future of our city more than most and as such is perhaps a watershed election.
As a 35-year-resident of St. Albert, I have always found it interesting that in each election there are invariably a gaggle of candidates that hang their hat on the "stop spending and cut taxes" platform. And every November after the election those fiscal hawks tout how everything's going to change now that they' re in office. Yet here we are after 35 years of observation, shackled with the same campaign platforms which are high on rhetoric and resolve but offer no credible solutions other than 1980s’ slash-and-burn, hiring freeze and paper clip counting financial solutions.
These easily spoken but short-sighted policies serve to only stifle growth and discourage the very businesses they wish to encourage to locate in St Albert. My observation of business and development is that they seek vibrant, active areas that are growing, not stagnating, penny-pinching, anti-growth-minded centres. Who wants to start an operation in a community that's admitting fiscal cuts are the main platform for the city?
This election has a new twist with the introduction of a third party association that seeks to push its narrow agenda on the community. Admittedly, "watchdog" groups can offer a valuable service to the community by keeping the elected officials and civil servants diligent in providing meaningful, cost effective services. But such associations, and candidates that adopt their narrow approach to community development, lose sight of the best interests of creating a vibrant community when they fixate on counterproductive cost cutting alone. Despite the rhetoric of some candidates and third party groups, residents of St. Albert have not seen their taxes grow disproportionately to neighbouring communities over the last several years. We all moved to St. Albert aware of the tax issues and were willing to pay for the extras we enjoy. We continue to have the best services in the region. These services effectively attracted families and businesses that want to be a part of this city and they will be just as effective in the future, if we stay the course.
St. Albert needs to continue to provide services that attract new families. We need to continue reasonable, timely investment in infrastructure and services that will make our city attractive to families and businesses on the move. We need to continue to give our elected officials and civic employees the resources they need to effectively grow our community and to attract new business and new development. This is not the time to embrace slash-and-burn fiscal policies that will handcuff the growth of our city and discourage new private sector development.
St. Albert needs to elect officials that will support development and re-development as a stimulus to encourage other development. St. Albert needs to support progressive, growth-oriented candidates that have a vision for our city and are prepared to make positive, progressive, fiscally responsible investments in infrastructure and services. These candidates will stimulate the community, attract the right development and business and foster a strong city that will have a broader tax base to share the load. Vote responsibly!
P.J. Woods, St. Albert
