Calgary Must Get Back To Basics

The ‘art’ projects are important but they need to be given to local artists and we shouldn’t have to ask what they mean AND currently with housing shortage the money needs to be redirected to affordable housing, maybe give to Habitat who are already well set up and don’t waste money. All salaries should be frozen because most employees earn more than public sector and have better benefits. There are too many office / management employees with less than a 5 hour workload, join workloads especially add or relocate to Frontline like police, fire, paramedic. There are many more mental health and increased violence which could be helped with more presence. There should have been plans for LRT to airport in the beginning, stop playing favourites, in Europe public transit is well used, maybe try using it yourselves to actually see what can be done, like more parking at stations. In future change trains up all the tracks (eliminating accidents / downtime on roads) and paid entry down, eliminating some safety issues, give transit police more arresting powers and have many more of them, maybe have a specific police unit overseeing and arresting. Maybe have holding cells at every police office, take a strong stand on cutting crime, and have counseling and ‘dry out’ of addictions. Work with provincial to make a working jail and add working , ie greenhouse, to the one we have (did the crime – work for your keep). Upgrade education, many can’t read well, don’t know budgets, learn trades, NOT taking chemistry so they can make their own drugs. Have all city employees report potholes or needs like pedestrian crosswalk. Have all managers take courses in economics, budgeting. Many managers don’t have this knowledge and therefore their areas aren’t being supported by future growth, ie watermain upgrades, repaving with the proper type of pavement, playground upgrades, adding trees / wildflowers (like our hardy lialics wild rose bushes bulbs, etc) to green spaces that require minimal maintenance and add to ‘climate crisis’ besides looking beautiful which in itself helps depression. We could have a program that ‘homeless’ people could work by cleaning up garbage and working with nature in exchange for better lodging and food (including making the food and helping distribute) Their main problems come from hating themselves and feeling lost, bring their talents out for self esteem. We need immediate housing for families needing housing assistance that is quality. Why not have them assist like Habitat does. There should be assistance for single dad’s not just women. There should be housing/ counseling for single people in abusive relationships so they don’t make their lives worse by bringing children into the cycle. There are many ‘construction’ and small businesses hiring immigrants that are not trained to Canadian standards and are being paid below minimum wage taking jobs away from the general public. Has anyone taught new Canadians our laws for respect, safety, etc. Every new area needs to include small parks, community centres, duplexes, row housing, small apartment buildings and commercial use for stores, GAS stations. Encourage family entrepreneurs not ‘7-11’. Any online memories are about family run businesses not ‘box’ stores. Hire more housing inspections there are way too many new builds not using or doing quality work, ie my 6’ closet does not have enough studs and the rod collapsed 1/3 way putting clothes on it. Put God back in schools, the disrespect and lack of learning because the teachers are forced to try to keep the classroom in control is unacceptable. Stop passing children to the next level when they haven’t learned enough reading, writing, and arithmetic, maybe hire more teachers and aids so they can effectively teach all children. Classroom sizes should not exceed 25. Have areas where one on one instructor helps with specific needs like multiplication basics. There are so many ADHD children now we need special learning skills to help them focus. The school bus should never cost a family more than $100 per child there’s many more ‘activities’ that they can’t afford because of it. When building a school make a safe drop-off for parents and buses that IS NOT ON THE STEET. Have city buses pull off the main streets for stops, maybe a stop light the driver can activate for reentry. This would help traffic flow greatly. Get input from all staff on ways to increase efficiency not just the managers because they are not actively doing the job.

unacceptable rise in taxes yet again

Stop spending on want projects like art instillation and focus on the needs of your people.

My taxes have gone up 80 percent since I moved to Calgary 8 years ago.