Sunjeev Prasad
News Reporter
The city plans to cut about 135 jobs which include not renewing 43 contracts, leaving vacant positions still open and a proposed 30 layoffs. In addition the city plans to limit transit services in order to curb its proposed tax hike. The Mayor referred to his job cuts coupled with the tax hike as a “balancing act” between providing the necessary services and a decline in revenues. So what exactly does this mean? Many of Calgary’s low-service bus routes will see a reduction in activity, road crews will be doing less maintenance work, and an estimated $54 will be added to the average taxpayers’ bill. Taxpayers could breathe a sigh of relief considering that the city had proposed a 6.1% increase last year that was not approved and is now reduced to the 4.8% which will likely stay put. Richard Truscott, Alberta director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business argues that city council could have done much more in terms of reducing the increase but Alderman Gord Lowe argues that if this were the case Calgarians would truly feel the impact of the reductions. As for now taxpayers must remain patient and hope that the elected officials in place are there because they are the most qualified to determine what is best for our city.
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