My values haven't changed, nor has my desire to help see Fredericton develop and thrive. So, for those who followed me in the 2021 municipal election, you won't notice a big swing in the goals I want to help achieve as your next City Councillor for Ward 2.
As councillor for Ward 2 my priorities would include:
- Fiscal responsibility, sustainability and transparency.
- Strong core municipal service delivery.
- Enhanced community engagement.
- Progress and partnerships in areas of shared responsibility.
Fiscal Responsibility, Sustainability and Transparency
In today’s economic and political climate three things are obvious to me – Federal and Provincial levels of government are in challenging financial situations with limited ability to help further support municipalities; demand for government services and supports are expanding (both in terms of demand on current programs and the scope of services/supports citizens are looking for) at all levels; and citizens are at a point where they feel they can no longer shoulder an increased tax burden.
City budgets represent our tax dollars. City spending needs to be done in a responsible and sustainable manner. This includes keeping focus on two key perspectives: (1) balancing the need to deliver quality services with keeping the tax burden on citizens at a manageable level, and (2) balancing the tax burden across the various tax areas of the city (Inside, Outside, Saint Mary's, Douglas / Pepper Creek / Estey's Bridge, Lakeside Estates, and Lincoln (Airport)) so that residents in any given area pay a fair share of the tax burden relative to the portion and quality of city services they receive.
Providing strong services while maintaining affordability is vital to drawing people to our incredible city.
Core Municipal Services
We all want to see Fredericton grow and have the amenities and attractions to bring people here (i.e., arts and recreation facilities), while ensuring that we do our part to care of all our citizens. In striving to do so, it is important that we not lose sight of the core responsibilities that municipal governments are here to provide and maintain at an affordable tax rate.
Our municipal government has the mandate to provide services across six (6) core service areas:
- Police & Fire Services
- Drinking-Water
- Public Transit
- Recreation
- Zoning (Land Use)
- Waste Collection
While many issues will arise that deserve attention from our municipal government, it is important that City Council doesn’t lose focus on its core municipal responsibilities. These items are what provide the strong foundation a community needs in order to flourish.
Citizen and Community Engagement
A community should inspire a sense of belonging for its residents. Engagement is a key driver of feeling that sense of belonging.
I will work to build engagement in municipal affairs through information sharing and being accessible to you, my fellow citizens, so that I understand what is being felt by those in my ward and ensure those views are being heard at the council level.
Now that we are in a post-COVID world I would like to build a stronger sense of community within Ward 2 through things like town hall (virtual and in person) meetings, community BBQs, and a trail system that connects our area to the already fantastic trail systems throughout our great city.
Building Partnerships
Under the oversight of the last few councils, the city has done some major investments in large scale initiatives (notably the Office Square renovation and the construction of the new Ron & Erma Hawkes Centre for the Arts); and more remain before us (such as discussions around a new aquatics facility and the future of the New Brunswick Exhibition Grounds).
Over this same period, there have also been additional pressures to act in areas which are traditionally the responsibility (or at least, the shared responsibility) of our other levels of government (i.e., homelessness, mental health, public safety).
The result of this is a squeeze on the taxpayer dollars available to spread across these areas while ensuring a focus on core day-to-day municipal operations is not lost.
To be able to play a role in moving the dial on larger, societal issues the City of Fredericton needs to be a strong partner who can bring others to the table and achieve progress on shared goals through leadership, partnership, and good faith negotiations.
If we aren’t moving forward, we are falling behind. To ensure that Fredericton progresses in areas outside of its core municipal mandate it needs to build strong partnerships with First Nations, Not-For-Profits, and other levels of government to impact real change.