Calgary is ready for Smart, Human Centered Spending

MAKING SMART SPENDING DECISIONS ~ YOUR TAX DOLLARS MATTER, A LOT

I firmly believe that a citizen in Calgary should not expect the bare minimum as a standard. Calgarians deserve a council that will strive every single day for a more bang-for-your-buck practice in spending your money. As your next Ward 9 Councillor, I want to ensure that core services are prioritized during budgeting – we need to be able to guarantee that you are getting the best value for your hard-earned money. This won’t be an easy task with many minds at the table, but I can offer much stronger presence because of my business and communications experience. In order to recover from the pandemic in a way that won’t leave citizens more financially apprehensive, we need leaders who have been a part of effective budgeting practices and can extract added value from your money through smart spending. I know that we need to stabilize for the future, and this means looking at a wide range of immediate and long-term growth and revenue strategies to attract investment to Calgary while enhancing supports for our small businesses and entrepreneurs in Calgary. Small businesses and entrepreneurs are what make Calgary an amazing city to live in. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we need to ensure that they are treated fairly, equitably, with an eye-to-their future as opposed to fixing a City spending problem.

I believe empowering businesses and driving economic development and recovery is where economic development really begins. By empowering businesses, we must create an environment in which they can flourish. When they succeed, we succeed; they create jobs, when there are more jobs, our citizens are better off, when they are better off, so are we, as a city. These businesses collectively are really the jet engine of our economy. The average Calgarian has had to reign in personal spending throughout, not only the pandemic but at the beginning of the oil crisis in 2008. In 2008 and beyond, City Council has not braced for the future. I will advocate for initiatives that assist citizens at this time and ensure that Calgary can grow into the future in a sustainable way. Over the last 11 years spending at City Hall has increased exponentially, all while residential and business taxes have also increased. This is merely due to a lack of economic foresight by council on City revenues and reliance on one primary tax source.

CALGARY HAS PROVEN, OVER TIME, THAT WE HAVE AN UP-AND-DOWN ECONOMY AND THAT IS BASED ON ONE INDUSTRY. WE NEED A COUNCIL THAT LOOKS AT TAXES THROUGH A RESILIENCE LENS:

~ WHEN TIMES ARE UP AND INVESTMENT IN CALGARY IS ON AN UPWARD TREND, WE NEED TO COLLECT AND SAVE AND INVEST WISELY

~ WHEN TIMES ARE DOWN, WE NEED TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS WITHOUT DISRUPTING SERVICES, OR INCREASING TAXES.

As your Ward 9 Councillor, I promise to:

• Approach budgets through a “priority-first” lens. Core services are a priority for citizens in Ward 9 and Calgary as a whole. This is especially true of road maintenance, snow removal, accessibility for all on our sidewalks, parks, and so much more

• Ask tough questions when it comes to your money ~ I want to ensure that sound and non-ideological decisions are being made - businesses (small and big) in Calgary need to thrive. As your Ward 9 Councillor, I will advocate the City support my mission by creating partnerships rather than repeating administrative barriers and missteps

• Evaluate budgets to find inefficient costs. Therefore, we can ensure that revenue surpluses go to the services our people need the most

• Advocate for your best interests. I commit to working hard for you and the interests of Ward 9

• Come to council not indebted to any PAC, TPA, special interest group (BRZ, BIA or Community Association). Therefore, the decisions I make will be based on our ‘collective’ approach

• Be accountable to you. As your Councillor, I will encourage full accountability, transparency, and openness when it comes to votes that affect your tax dollarsapproach

• I will advocate for initiatives that assist citizens at all times and ensure that Calgary can grow into the future in a sustainable way."