Greater Sudbury mayoral candidate Patricia Mills is criticizing some of the financial decisions made by Mayor Brian Bigger and Greater Sudbury city council during the last term.
City council will meet July 10 to review a report developed by staff outlining the cost of demolishing the Sudbury Arena and constructing a new facility, called the Junction, which will house a new art gallery, library and convention centre in downtown Sudbury.
The projected cost is $112 million.
But nowhere does the report detail how the city is going to pay for it or how it will affect our property taxes, said Mills, in a press release.
“I love the idea of creating opportunities that will move our city forward and attract other investments,” she said. “But I also love the idea of being able to afford to live in my house into my golden years without worrying about being taxed out the door.
“We need a financial business plan that shows us where the money is coming from to pay for these projects that continue to dominate meetings at city hall.”
Mills said there is a need to invest in our future, but our tax dollars are not being spent wisely and the mayor is not focused on balancing future growth with today’s economic realities.
“The people I’ve talked to in the community are concerned, she said.
“We’ve had repeated tax increases over the past three years and no end in sight as the Mayor keeps barreling forward without a sound financial plan in place.
“Gas prices hit $1.429 a litre this week. Premier Doug Ford imposed a province-wide hiring freeze. And this is only the beginning.”
Across the border, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed US steel tariffs, which directly resulted in 40 layoffs in Sault Ste. Marie and he is on the verge of a protectionism assault against Canada that will affect Ontario’s economy, the press release said.
“You can’t ignore the economy or these outside forces,” Mills said. “The city’s budget is already in big trouble with tax rates going up higher and faster than a household’s income rate.”
“In just three years, property taxes increased 10.5%. People’s paycheques aren’t going up by that much so why does the Mayor think we can take that kind of hit?”
Mills also points out that by January 2019, water rates will have increased by 30%. “I’ve talked to seniors on fixed incomes who are worried they won’t be able to afford to stay in their homes.”
The situation becomes even more alarming when you consider Northern Ontario is projected to have zero population growth and the city is talking about financing $300 million for projects.
“If your tax base isn’t growing, that means every increase is being shouldered by the same group of taxpayers. How can we absorb $300 million in debt on top of that?” she said.
Mills, the former publisher of Northern Ontario Business and Sudbury Living Magazine, the sister publications to Northern Life/Sudbury.com, managed a successful business in Northern Ontario for 25 years, the press release said. She said she knows how to budget.
As a young widow and single mother attending college and raising a child, she said austerity was her way of life.
“As difficult as it was at times, adhering to a disciplined budget allowed me to finish school, raise my daughter and plan for my future,” she said.
Mills said her years as a city councillor in Newfoundland provided her the experience to move her community forward without draining the bank accounts of its taxpayers, something she worries about for the people of Sudbury.
“We can make strategic investments here in Greater Sudbury that will benefit our city and attract growth,” she said. “But not on this current path.”
Mills said she believes Bigger had the perfect opportunity to deliver good sensible budgets for the past four years.
“He was the city’s auditor, she said. “He would have reviewed every department budget and known where savings could be made.”
Instead, said Mills, he seemed to lose his way.
“In four years, he hasn’t been able to deliver a budget with any significant savings,” she said.
“If we continue at this rate, our children will be paying $20,000 in taxes if they are lucky enough to afford a home. We can’t let that happen.”
