Survey Responses:

Question 1.1:

Do you think municipal taxes should:

a) Reduce in absolute terms
b) Reduce in real terms (grow, but slower than inflation)
c) Reduce in relative terms (grow, but slower than inflation plus population growth)
d) Stay the same (grow, but only in line with inflation plus population growth)
e) Increase a bit (grow in line with the city’s Municipal Price Index)
f) Increase more (grow faster than the city’s Municipal Price Index)

Answer 1.1 [Choose One]:

c) Reduce in relative terms (grow, but slower than inflation plus population growth)

Question 1.2:

Comments?

Answer/Comments 1.2:

[No Answer Provided]

Question 2.1:

Would you vote in favour of allocating any tax dollars or giving any subsidy towards a new stadium/arena?

Answer 2.1 [Yes/No Only]:

Yes.

Question 2.2:

If yes, how much and in what form would these taxes take (direct cash, land, subsidy, indirect, etc), and why do you support public dollars being directed towards a corporation?

Answer/Comments 2.2:

People dont like using public money for private benefits. This is why I propose landing public money at the lowest interest possible. This Will be a win win scenario. Subsidy would be another best way to do It. We all remember the bailouts in the USA for automakers, no one today would deny that was not a good decision.

Question 3.1:

Recent research on Calgary’s City Council found that council spends nearly a quarter of its’ time meeting in private (in camera). Do you agree that this is too much time spent in private?

Answer 3.1 [Yes/No Only]:

Yes.

Question 3.2:

If so, what would you do to fix this? Which topics do you believe should be discussed behind closed doors and why?

Answer/Comments 3.2:

This practice should really be abolished. Public representatives should not be having in camera meetings. It can erode public trust in city governments. Some debates regarding security of the city can be exempted.

Question 4.1:

From the $470,000 Blue Ring, to the $236,000 for a “Poop Palace”, and now another $500,000 for Bowfort Towers, council has consistently failed to engage with Calgarians about which public Art projects their tax dollars are spent on. Do you support continuing to use taxpayer dollars to fund art projects for the city?

Answer 4.1 [Yes/No Only]:

Yes. 

Question 4.2:

If yes, why do you think council and administration have repeatedly failed on this issue, and what guidelines should be used to ensure Calgarians are happy with the results in future?

Answer/Comments 4.2:

Arts is an important component for a lively City. The city has failed miserable before because it has failed to evolved stakeholders when debating about which project to fund. The process needs to be as open as possible.

Question 5:

How can council support small businesses?

Answer 5:

Create a positive business atmosphere which is not the case right now. The city focuses mostly on large businesses and ignore completely small ones. Recall that around 7000 small businesses closed their doors last year.

We also need to cut taxes for them to survive in this economy. I am proposing a special taxe for small businesses located in Ward 9.

Question 6.1:

Do you support the current plan for construction of the Green Line?

Answer 6.1 [Yes/No Only]:

Yes.

Question 6.2:

The construction of the Green Line was approved based on a cost-benefit analysis that assumed the project would be completed two years earlier than now projected, and at a lower construction cost for the entire line than is now estimated for half of the line. If the costs increase again or the project is further delayed, would you continue to support it, and why?

Answer/Comment 6.2:

The city is growing mostly due to the sprawls. Since it is growing we also need modern infrastructures for the future. The project needs to be supported but the cost will have to be constrained. It can't just be a blank cheque. Debate on this project will need to be constant and open to the Public.

Question 7.1:

In July, City Council voted against a motion to hold a referendum/plebiscite on whether Calgary should bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics bid. Do you support holding a referendum / plebiscite on whether Calgary should bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics bid?

Answer 7.1 [Yes/No Only]:

[No Answer Provided]

Question 7.2:

Why do you support/oppose a public vote? Should the results of a vote should be binding?

Answer/Comment 7.2:

The referendum is one way of knowing what people are thinking on an issue; however, I believe that there are many other low cost ways to ask people oponions than using costly means. What people decide should be binding.