Calgary, Edmonton Controlled By Big Spending Lefties

[Anonymous]

Now that the Alberta municipal elections are over we can expect reelected Calgary mayor Nenshi and his fellow high-tax, more regulation, more expensive pet project("progressive") Don Iveson in Edmonton to push the province to grant them city charters. This would give them more autonomy in decision making and more control over development within their boundaries.



This may seem like a good idea on paper, but they already have all the autonomy they need. The province does not step in and overturn bylaws, impose budgets or fire democratically elected city councils. The problem is they come with additional taxation powers. What these two top-down reckless tsar wannabes really want is a license to tax.



If Nenshi is prepared to intercept a $52 million tax rebate from the province intended for Calgary homeowners, I wouldn't put it past him to consider a tax on businesses operating in the city. I can see him using the tired old class warfare cliché that it is only fair to tax rich companies in order to pay for services for ordinary Calgarians.



City charters wouldn't stop with the power to tax businesses. Many US cities have charters from their state governments and they have found all sorts of ways to soak their residents, including what are called "occupation taxes". These work like an income tax without deductions.



There are municipal road taxes enforced by special tags residents must buy for their license plates, municipal levies added to gasoline, land transfer taxes, hotel room taxes, airport taxes, so why not tax a meal out?



City charters may sound benign and fair. However, they are in reality a license to separate you from your cash. Remember, Edmonton mayor-elect has already refused a pledge from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to keep property tax increases or below the rate of inflation. This in a city with a $2.9 billion debt!!

[Anonymous]

I didn't vote in that last election, so I should not say too much..



Still, I don't want to see another high property tax increase again anytime soon.

[Anonymous]

Speaking of big city mayors, did y'all hear Toronto police say they are in possession of the video showing Rob Ford smoking crack? I don't mind him as a mayor, but his private life is now interfering with the job. Maybe time to step down or at least rehab.

[Romero]

He should step down. Smoking crack is bad enough but he totally lied about it. I wonder how he'll do in the next election if he keeps going.

[Anonymous]

He should step down. Smoking crack is bad enough but he totally lied about it. I wonder how he'll do in the next election if he keeps going.

Lying about smoking crack? Get serious, I don't expect anyone to fess up about that. John Turner never came forward about his drinking problem and booze is legal. If I was him, I would announce I had a substance abuse issue, step down temporarily to get the treatment he needs and return when he is clean and sober.



Booze and drug addiction are now considered a medical problem. That is how our employee assistance program dealt with these issues when I worked for CNRL.

[Romero]