EDMONTON, AB: Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee must explain why her government refuses to take a position on granting new tax powers to Alberta’s cities after repeatedly sidestepping questions on the matter, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
Wildrose has long advocated for predictable and sustainable funding for municipalities, but is vehemently opposed to granting cities new taxing powers. The NDP is able to grant these powers behind closed doors through regulations in the Municipal Government Act.
“The last thing most Albertans in Calgary or Edmonton want is further tax increases, especially when they are losing their jobs and seeing their wages cut back. An option like this should be completely off the table, but the Minister’s dithering is causing a lot of concern for families who are already being stretched to the limit by this NDP government,” Wildrose Shadow Minister for Municipal Affairs Pat Stier said. “The NDP government needs to immediately come clean and say whether or not they’re considering taking this step.”
Stier said the NDP giving cities new tax powers would mean even tougher times ahead for Alberta families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
“Albertans expect their provincial government to protect their pocketbooks,” Stier said. “If the Minister refuses to unequivocally rule out new taxing powers for cities, she’s showing that the NDP once again is willing to put its party ideology of taxing families ahead of the good of our province.”