Glen Murray got the ball rolling. Russ Wyatt ( upon my review ) offered a sensible solution. Toronto already made a statement and now Edmonton has entered the discussion. The reality is that without trickle down funding with no strings attached is it will be impossible to maintain cities.(unless you like to get nickle dimed to death or for some reason think higher taxes is the way to go )
The line I like best is " we need this to properly plan "

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Cities+need+more+reliable+funding+from+province/4319052/story.html

Hugh if you are reading this, this is your only salvation. Lead the way like Manitobans have on so many important national issues in the last 100 years and maybe, just maybe, you can get elected.

Couldn't agree more. Times they be a'changing. This is more true for Winnipeg as well. As it is the social services hub of the province the cost imposed on the city (for things like police and related social services) are disproportionate.

NO STRINGS ATTACHED!!!

Imo, we first must look at where we are spending money. Things like the bike path and calming circles are a complete waste of money.

At first glance, I'm for more strings. Some of those strings should be attached to the politicians and controlled by the people that elect them, but there seems to be a disconnect there.

Agreed. But the first order is to develop a vision and plan. Once that is in place perhaps hire some planners that can promote and engage the plan... I'm sure developers and investors would like to see that as well.

"Things like the bike path and calming circles are a complete waste of money."


To the point we did them? Definitely ... but they are not a complete waste if done and planned better.


First step we need to say.. Thats not our area of responsibility.... and force the full funding back to the province for certain items. AND.. the other side is of course... that is our area of responsibility.. now give us the money and piss off you have no say in this matter.


What might fix alot of this is making it illegal to have photo ops where someone "claims" responsibility for something. ie building a bridge or underpass and putting a plaque up saying who supported it.

There is only one taxpayer.

Seems our system is not compatible with planning. It's completley reactionary where it comes to development imo, and therein is the problemo...or one of them anyway.

Deank wrote:"Things like the bike path and calming circles are a complete waste of money."


To the point we did them? Definitely ... but they are not a complete waste if done and planned better.

Nope. Where it comes to priorities, they shouldn't even be on the list.

Can't plan better if you don't have an money nor any idea of where the money will come from. Its a backwards way of doing things. Certainly you can't plan your hopuseold without knowing where your money is coming from.

They know where it's coming from...us.

It's all about how much and where it will be spent.imo.

Livio Ciaralli wrote:The line I like best is " we need this to properly plan "

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Cities+need+more+reliable+funding+from+province/4319052/story.html

The basic argument of this article is the added "Burden" of 220,000 new Albertans who need municipal services. But they got it all wrong - these are not welfare bums but more likely earn very high incomes and live in mult-million dollar homes. The municipalities have plenty of taxing powers to tap into these riches, and pay for their services. There is no need to increase priovincial tax rates just to shuflle it around. Taxing at the source works best!

Taxing is not a SOLUTION
Nor is increassing Provincial tax rates.Besides, the article isn't about taxation, more about returning tax dollars back to the source. At least thats what I'd like to see before theyu tax me again

Livio Ciaralli wrote:Taxing is not a SOLUTION
Nor is increassing Provincial tax rates.Besides, the article isn't about taxation, more about returning tax dollars back to the source. At least thats what I'd like to see before theyu tax me again

If the province provides more funding to Municipalities they will have to cut Provincial Programs (or move them to Municipalities). There is only a finite amount of resources to go around, unless you increase revenue (which should be done when the economy is booming).

I think maybe it might be more about apportioning EXISTING tax dollars more wisely and without strings. Today the province is busy buying votes as opposed to sending the money where it'll do the most good.

Thats would be the point Evil, have the Province deal with waste at their level rather than burnin through my tax dollars. As GOM points out, the solution would be for the pROVINCE TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND AS jtf POINTED OUT, TONS OF MONEY COULKD BE SAVED BY STREAMLINING BOTH THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND whra BUREACRACIES.

OOPS caps.

OF course, at every level efficiencies woudl have to be found and that will take a differnet politician with a completely differnt set of values.

But make no mistake, you can't go forward if you have to continually beg for funding while at the same time attempt to find solutions. I would say the Province should cough up 1 Billion in transfer payments to all municipalities in the Province and begin to deal with a 9 Billion dollar budget rather than 10 Billion. Saying its can't be done is showing an unwillingness to work harder and a rather lazy and unimaginative attitude by politicians.