Ideas

I am of the opinion that it is better to have an idea as opposed to a belief, especially when it comes to our grassroots campaign. You can change an idea based on new information! As such, the ideas expressed below will likely evolve over time as I have the opportunity to connect with fellow Ward 11 residents to hear your thoughts and advocate for you!

We must support Public Safety

During these uncertain times, we rely even more so on those serving us in public safety. Economic downturns cause increases in crime and we need to ensure our first responders are supported in their duties. Defunding the Calgary Police Service is not acceptable.

We must stop unreasonable tax hikes

Over the last ten years, Calgarians have seen large property tax increases and there appears to be no end in site. It is time for fiscal discipline. Calgarians have had enough as they try to make a life for their families.

We must live within our means

Calgary's economy came crashing down in 2014 due to the collapse of oil and gas prices. Families were forced to stretch their dollars, but City Council continued on their spending spree. It is time to show fiscal restraint and common sense when allocating tax dollars.

We must maintain speed limits

I have been speaking with Calgarians and I keep hearing, "Why are we wasting our time and money on reducing speed limits?" Changing signs will cost millions of dollars and those who choose to speed through 50 km/hr zones will continue to do so, regardless of the posted limit. We should examine stiffer penalties for speeding and distracted driving to avoid the expense of new signs. 

We must hold a plebiscite on the Green Line

The Green Line will cost more than $5 billion dollars to complete and this price tag is growing for a segment of the original line. Since Calgarians are being taxed municipally, provincially and federally for this project, they deserve to have a direct say on whether it moves forward or not. This makes much more sense than a 7th plebiscite on fluoridation, for example.   

We must save on public art

Why are we spending millions of dollars to outsource artwork? The Alberta University of the Arts is right in Calgary. Why are we not offering students competitions to design public art for scholarships to complement their studies? Taxpayers save millions on outsourcing and our local talent is promoted and supported.

We must save on bike lanes

Calgary has established a more than acceptable framework of bike lanes. These cost taxpayer dollars to benefit a small subset of the population. Public parking, which is already at a premium in downtown Calgary, is sacrificed for these lanes. Let's avoid more bike lanes and save taxpayer dollars.

We must enact recall legislation

Term limits will not solve the issue of councillor complacency. If a councillor goes into a four year term, knowing that it is their last, how can we be sure they will not check out and start collecting a wage for nothing? We require integrity from councillors. With recall legislation, we can avoid this issue and hold our elected officials accountable at any time.  

We must resolve our snow removal issues

I keep hearing from Calgarians that they are sick of the inefficient snow removal program currently in place. Shoveling your driveway only to have it backfilled by a passing snowplow is unacceptable. Furthermore, we have cleared streets receiving pass after pass, sparks flying, while residential streets are left to fend for themselves. It is time we improve our snow removal system to make it both effective and efficient.